Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh laid foundation stone of the vegetable market to be constructed at a cost of Rs 7.17 crore at Bandrol in district Kullu here today.
Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering said that it would provide enough space for storing and marketing the produce to the agriculturists and horticulturists of the district besides the producers from Lahaul and Spiti district. He said that in the second phase of construction, a proper concrete wall would be erected along the river and appropriate infrastructure would be made available to the farmers and fruit growers.
He said that agriculture and horticulture has the mainstay of the people of the State and with the construction of the Marketing Yard, the local farmers and horticulturists would get better remunerative prices for their produce. More such Vegetable Marketing Yards would be constructed at Tapri, Jhukhala, Charankhud in Kangra, Rohru and other areas of the State. Besides, to facilitate the farmers and to make them know the daily wholesale rates of the fruits and vegetables, the information was being provided to them on its website.
He said that the per capita income of the State was 82611 with growth rate of 10 percent and Himachal was treading fast towards becoming the most developed State of the Country.
Earlier, the Chief Minster launched the online set-up of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (Kullu- Lahaul & Spiti) office at Kullu which is the first of its kind as adopted by APMC and similarly all the offices of the Marketing Committee would be computerized in a phased manner.
The Chief Minister also announced Jeepable road over River Beas to connect Kais village on the left bank of the river opposite Bandrol.
Later, the Chief Minister, laid the foundation Stone of a bridge to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 65 lakhs over Sarwari Nullaha in Kullu, inaugurated the office of Deputy Director Elementary constructed at a cost of Rs 78 lakhs, inaugurated the science lab of Government Senior Secondary School (Boys) at Kullu constructed at a cost of Rs 80 lakh and inaugurated the Zila Parishad Guest House at Kullu constructed at a cost of Rs. 75 lakh. He also laid foundation stone of the Community Health Centre at Tegu Behar to be constructed at cost of Rs 4.63 crore.
The Chief Minister also visited the exhibitions set up by various departments and NGOs highlighting the development of the State as well as the district. He also visited the Ragunath camp the main deity of the Dussehra festival kullu and paid his obeisance to the local God and Goddesses on the occasion.
Sujan Singh Pathania, Agriculture and Power Minister, Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Forest Minister, Prakash Chaudhry, Excise and Taxation Minister, Anil Sharma, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Pratibha Singh Former MP, Maheshwar Singh, Karan Singh and Khub Ram, MLAs, Shubhash Manglet, Chairman HP State Agriculture Marketing Produce Board, Y.K. Mishra, Chairman, APMC (Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti), Atul Sharma, Chairman HPSIDC, Mahendar Stan Chairman APMC (Shimla& Kinnaur), Rakesh Kanwar Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, Surinder Verma, SP Kullu Various associations of the local Agents were present on the occasion amongst others.
