Aimed at to provide adequate drinking water facilities to fruit and vegetable (F&V) traders at fruit mandi Narwal and its adjoining areas, Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture, Raman Bhalla, today said that Government has earmarked Rs. 2.62 crore under Asian Development Funding (ADB) for digging of deep drill tube well, construction of over head tank (OHT) besides laying of water supply pipes in the areas.Director Horticulture (Planning and Marketing), Showkat Ahmed Zargar besides senior officers from Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) and Horticulture besides representatives of F&V traders association were present on the occasion. Bhalla informed that ERA has undertaken Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme (JKUSDIP) financed by the ADB through Multi-Tranche-Tranche Financing Facility (MFF) and the contract value of the sub-project is INR 30.77 crore. He said major objective of the ADB funding is to construct tube wells, pump room cum operators’ room, installation of pumping machinery, AVR, Electric Panel etc, creation of electric sub-station in water deficit areas of Jammu city.
The Minister said that Government is working on a project to develop Narwal F&V mandi with all modern line facilities. He said Government also prepared a project to establish a modern multi-utility and commodity cold storage at Narwal Fruit and Vegetable mandi.
Bhalla said a detailed project report costing Rs. 89 lakh has already been prepared for re-construction of gutted auction shed and construction of new auction shed in the F&V mandi in Narwal besides construction of drainage system including approached road. He said the works on the projects are in progress on war-footing and would be completed within stipulated time frame.The Minister said in addition to completion of two auction platforms, Government has released Rs. 1.70 crore for renovation of dilapidated condition auction sheds. He asked the executing agency to complete all the allied works of the projects so that the place meets the desired purpose at the earliest. He said Government has planned to set up fruit and vegetable mandies at all potential areas of the state so that the farmers could get marketing facilities at their doorsteps.The Minister informed that the land available with HPMC will be utilized for construction of the cold storage. He said Government is keen to develop all the fruit and vegetable mandies with modern line basic facilities. Bhalla assured the traders that their other genuine issues would be redressed on priority basis. Responding to demand of uninterrupted power supply to the mandies, the Minister informed that instructions have been issued to Power Department for ensuring improved power in the markets.