Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Union Minister of Agriculture & Food Processing Industries Sharad Pawar to allot more mega food parks in the state being the granary of India. In a letter to Pawar, the Chief Minister said that Punjab being the agrarian state has been so far allotted one such food park being set up by M/s International Mega Food Park Limited at village Dabwala Kalan in Ferozepur district. Seeking Pawar’s personal intervention to direct the MoFPI to grant more such parks, Badal said that it would not only propel agro industries in the state but also richly benefit our farmers. He also pointed out that the state government in consultation stakeholders representing food procession industry has already prepared a blue print inviting suggestions from them to be incorporated in the upcoming schemes of MoFPI for boosting investment in this sector. These suggestions, if implemented, would go a long way in attracting investors to invest in Mega Food Park projects. He requested Pawar to direct MoFPI to take note of these suggestions and incorporate them in their scheme. Badal also mentioned that the state government had already provided certain major concessions of such kinds of projects including: exemption from basic stamp duty and registration fee on first sale/transfer of built up space of units or land in project area, exemption from electricity duty up to 5% for 5 years, permission of direct purchase of food grains/maize/barley/fruits & vegetables required for primary processing by the units in the Mega Food Park project besides exemption from payment of Mandi Fee/Rural Development Fee and Infrastructure cess to the extent of 1% each, subject to a maximum of 50% of fixed capital investment or for a period of 10 years whichever happens earlier, permission of sub-lease of land by Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to the food procession units and exemption from ceiling limit on land being purchased from the industrial purpose including Mega Food Parks as per latest amendment in Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972. The Chief Minister also informed Pawar that state’s Industrial Policy provides for an empowered committee, which can consider tailor-made concessions on case-to-case basis as well.