Punjab Horticulture Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Friday, emphasized that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government is dedicated to fostering horticulture in the state. Addressing the concerns of Kinnu growers at Citrus Estate Abohar, the Cabinet Minister assured swift resolution of their issues, directing the District Mandi Officer to ensure proper functioning of the mandi.
He categorically emphasized taking legal action against anyone impeding farmers in getting adequate price by creating a pool and instructed officials to provide J-Forms promptly to farmers after selling crops at the Kinnu Mandi.
While assuring the farmers that their marketing-related issues would be permanently addressed, the Cabinet Minister encouraged producers to engage in group gardening, emphasizing collaborative efforts in processing and marketing their crops to boost their income.
S. Jauramajra assured farmers that the Punjab government would offer comprehensive support in addition to the existing subsidy framework. Stressing on the crucial role of canal water in horticulture, he assured the farmers that the state government is committed for ensuring full canal water supply to cater to the needs of horticulturists.
The Cabinet Minister suggested farmers to adopt drip irrigation system to conserve maximum water and natural resources for the future generations. He announced that plans are also being prepared to install solar pump systems on water tanks used for drip irrigation system in Kinnu fields.
S. Jauramajra assured that the Horticulture Department's various schemes would be reviewed to increase subsidies for farmers based on updated needs. Besides this, new schemes will be initiated to address emerging requirements.
The cabinet minister said that the Punjab government is offering a 40 percent subsidy for constructing cold storage units to store fruits, enabling farmers to engage in self-marketing and boost their earnings. He assured to implement strategies to maximize benefits for farmers associated with Punjab Agro juice factory.
Later, the Cabinet Minister inspected the kinnu fields and gained insights into the crop's condition. During this interaction, the farmers expressed gratitude towards Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann government for consistently providing ample canal water, leading to a bumper Kinnu crop.
Deputy Commissioner Dr. Senu Duggal, Director Horticulture Mrs. Shailender Kaur, Former MLA Arun Narang, ADC (G) Ravinder Singh Arora, Assistant Director Horticulture Jagtar Singh, Inderjit Singh Bajaj, Sunil Sachdeva Chairman District Planning Board were also present on this occasion.