Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Haq informed the House that for implementation of Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), the Government has kept budgetary provision of Rs. 25 crore under CAPEX Budget during current fiscal. Replying to a question by Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, the Minister informed that, like other apple producing districts, Ganderbal would also be considered under the scheme at the time of finalization of Action Plan of the current financial year.The Minister informed that the MIS scheme was re-introduced in the State during last fiscal and Sopore, Dachinpora and Shopian was brought under this scheme. Abdul Haq informed that fruit and vegetable market at Zazna, Ganderbal is being set up at a cost of Rs. 7.45 crore and an amount of Rs. 1.48 crore have been incurred on its execution ending last fiscal.
He informed that shops are allotted to the growers and traders and not to the un-employed youth and entrepreneurs against the payment of premium subject to the availability of shop sites in the mandi. He informed that the applicants should be the state subject and genuine growers / traders. He informed that the preference would be given to the local growers / traders of the district, saying that in case the applicants are more than the available number of sites, the allotment is made on the basis of draw of lots.Mr Yawar Dilawar Mir raised supplementary to the main question and urged for payments of C-grade apple to the growers well in time, besides creating mass awareness among fruit growers about the spray schedules of pesticides and fungicides.