Harsimrat flays Punjab govt over 'delay' in central projects

Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday charged the Punjab government with "intentionally delaying" the central government funded projects. Badal said her ministry has already imposed a penalty of Rs 2.5 crore on the Punjab government for delaying the completion of the Mega Food Park project at Ladhowal village in Ludhiana district.

"The Punjab government is not serious towards the central government funded projects and it is intentionally delaying  their completion," she said  while inaugurating two food processing units Godrej Tyson Foods Ltd and Iscon Balaji Foods Pvt Ltd located in Gur Kirpa Mega Food Park at Ladhowal.

She was accompanied by Rameswar Teli, the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries. Badal said the All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Bathinda and now the Mega Food Park at Ladhowal are examples of the "indifferent attitude" of the Punjab government towards Centre sponsored projects. Once completed, the Mega Food Park would not only provide employment to more than 50,000 youths of the state but also give a big boost to the state's farm economy, she said.

The progress on the development of the food park was "very poor" despite Rs 400 crore being sanctioned by the Centre for the project, Badal said. She also showed copies of letters written by her to the chief minister of Punjab for expeditious completion of the project.

"Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is not serious about the development of the state and its people. He does not attend the office and also does not meet people, she alleged.

Badal said the Gur Kirpa Mega Food Park and its food processing units will benefit the people of Ludhiana district and the people of neighbouring districts of Jalandhar, Moga, Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib. The units, set up with a cost of Rs 95.31 crore, will leverage an investment of about Rs 85 crore and will provide direct and indirect employment to about 950 people, she said.

She said the central government is focusing on boosting the food processing industry so that agriculture sector grows exponentially and becomes a major contributor to doubling the farmers' income and the 'Make In India' initiative of the government.

To give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing Creation/Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities (CEFPPC) scheme in the country, Badal said.

The processing activities to be undertaken by the individual units will cover a wide range of post-harvest processes resulting in value addition and/or enhancing shelf life with specialised facilities required for preservation of perishables, she said, adding that under the scheme, the central government provides financial assistance up to Rs 5 crore per unit.