In a land mark decision to promote agro-forestry as a part of farm persification program, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today asked the state industries department to immediately declare wood based industry as agro-based industries in the state.A decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal in a high level meeting with the progressive farmers, Plywood manufacturers, Arhtias (commission agents) and Timber/Wood merchants here at Punjab Bhawan this morning. The Chief Minister asked the Financial Commissioner Development to immediately send their recommendations to the industries department for declaring wood industry as ‘agro-based industry’ across the state with an objective to promote it in a big way. He also directed the industries department to issue a notification in this behalf at the earliest so that the plywood manufacturers could avail of incentives/benefits from the banks and other financial institutions for seeking loans as admissible under the agro policy. Likewise, the Chief Minister also asked the finance department to examine the demand of agro-based industry with regard to interest subsidy. He also announced that the saw mill owners; arhtias would also be given shops/land at subsidized rates in the mandis.
The Chief Minister also constituted a committee of representatives of Punjab Mandi Board, farmers, arhtias, saw mill owners, wood based industry owners and experts from Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana for seeking their suggestions in order to promote agro forestry in the state. The committee would be chaired by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Punjab. In order to give major fillip to Agriculture persification and weaning away the farmers from traditional wheat-paddy cycle, Mr. Badal also announced that four ultra modern dedicated wood mandis would be soon established at Balachaur, Naushera (Hoshiarpur), Dasuya and Khaasi (Ludhiana) so that farmers could get remunerative price of their wood. The Chief Minister categorically said that there would be no restriction on sale of wood by farmers as they could sell their produce from their farms to saw mills/wood based industry directly or could openly sell in mandis also, if they so wished. Mr. Badal also said that in future farmers would not be required to seek any prior permission for direct purchase of wood.
The Chief Minister also asked the Director of Indian Plywood Research and Training Institute, Bangalore Mr. CN Pandey to look into the feasibility for setting up of Common Facility Centre for the manufacturing of quality plywood in the state. He also sought cooperation from Director Forest Research Institute Dheradun Dr. PP Bhojvaid to send a team of experts to share their experiences with the officers of forest department to boost agro forestry in the state.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Forest Minister Mr.Surjit Kumar Jayani, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Forest & Wildlife Ch. Nand Lal, Chairman Punjab Mandi Board Mr. Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, Director, Institute of Wood Substitution Technology, Bangalore Mr.S.C. Joshi, Director, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun Mr. P.P. Bhojvaid, Financial Commissioner Development Mr G.S. Sandhu, Financial Commissioner (Forests) D.S. Bains, Financial Commissioner Taxation D.P.Reddy, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mr. H.S. Gujral, Secretary Mandi Board Mr. Deepinder Singh, Managing Director Punjab Agro Industries Mr Kiranjeet Singh Bhullar besides the representatives of farmers, Wood Based Industry owners, Saw Mill owners and Arhtias.