The Committee on Public Undertakings of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today directed the higher authorities of Horticulture department to take all necessary steps to boost horticulture sector in the state.The committee said this during a threadbare discussion on CAG’s Audit report pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Limited.The Committee which met here today under the Chairmanship of MLA, Sat Paul Sharma to examine audit Paras pertaining to the corporation for the years 2004-05 regarding operational performance, diversion of funds, working of Apple juice concentrate plant at Doabagah, inventory managent and utilization of refrigerated vans.Legislators, Asgar Ali Karbalaie, Mohammad Khalil Bandh, Rajeev Sharma and Vikram Randhawa also attended the meeting and gave remedial measures to early sort out the paras besides to improve the functioning of the Corporation.During the discussions, the Committee asked the higher authorities of the corporation that they should go in depth and get a detail for each and every procurement and also told them that they should also come up with the reasons for why 36 units of the Corporation are non-functional and asked the management the necessary steps must to be taken to bring the Corporation a profitable organization.
The Committee also discussed past directions and recommendations of its 42nd and 46th reports and what action has taken by the Corporation for the revival and development of this sector in the state.The Committee also discussed other issues pertaining to the Corporation including revival policy of the Corporation and to promote of apricot, mango, walnut etc, besides providing of cold storage facilities to the growers in the state.Secretary, Horticulture Manzoor Ahmed Lone briefed the Committee about the actions taken by the corporation on observations made by the CAG’s besides overall functioning of corporation.He also briefed about them what remedial measures adopted by the department to revive the horticulture sector in the state.Secretary also briefed the Committee about the revival plan of the corporation and said that in this regard the government has wave off the liabilities of the Corporation of Rs 106 crore for revival of the Corporation besides staff position of the Corporation.Accountant General, AG Office, Sushil Thakur also briefed the Committee about the observation pointed out by the CAG contained in its report regarding the working of Corporation.Among others, Director Finance, Pritam Singh, DGM, HPMC Farooq Ahmed Dar, besides Deputy Secretary, Assembly G M Bhat and other senior officers of JK HPMC and Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.