Himachal govt to form panel to address apple growers' concerns: Jai Ram Thakur

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday announced that a committee, headed by the chief secretary, would be constituted to check the exploitation of horticulturists by the traders, private CA store owners and others at various levels in the state.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday announced that a committee, headed by the chief secretary, would be constituted to check the exploitation of horticulturists by the traders, private CA store owners and others at various levels in the state. "It was a very important meeting. There were many issues with the apple growers. We discussed 20 points," CM Thakur said after presiding over a meeting of the representatives of the fruit growers Association and line departments in the State.

After having a detailed discussion, we heard the solutions from their end. A committee-- comprising Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary Finance, Principal Secretary Excise and Taxation, Secretaries Agriculture and Horticulture as its members besides representatives of various farmers' Associations-- was constituted to discuss the concerns of apple growers in Himachal Pradesh. "In order to provide relief to the orchardists or fruit growers, the State government has decided to give six per cent subsidy on the purchase of package material, i.e., cartons and trays sold through HPMC (H.P. Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation) with effect from July 15. The HPMC would be given a grant of Rs 10 crores for the same," he said further.

Stating that the Apple economy is very important for Himachal, he said, "we are continuously trying to fetch solutions in this regard. We have declared that we will compensate for the six per cent GST increase in coke and the committe was constituted to see its mechanism." "We hope that the government will resolve our issues because there are some burning issues in it. we have decided to come again on August 5 and will stage a Gherao at Secretariat, if our issues are not resolved. The CM has said that they will discuss it," said Sanjay Chauhan, Co-Coordinator of Sanyukt Kisan Manch.

"The Chief Minister listened to our demands very carefully and assured us that the work will be done in the direction to provide relief to the apple growers... No date for announcing the decision has been finalised yet," Coordinator Sanukt Kisan Manch Harish Chauhan said. Horticulture Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur, MLA Chopal Balbir Verma, MLA Theog Rakesh Singha and former Mayor Shimla Municipal Corporation Sanjay Chauhan, and other progressive fruit growers were also present in the meeting alongwith Chief Secretary R.D. Dhiman, Additional Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and other senior officers. (ANI)

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