Jammu: Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Lone (Hanjoora) informed the House that a major fruit Mandi is being developed at Batote involving an estimated cost of Rs 2.58 crore, to provide marketing facilities to the fruit growers of the area.

He said Rs 2.54 crore has been incurred on the project till ending March 2017, while an amount of Rs.26.52 lakh is being utilized during the current financial year (2017-18). He said the infrastructure being developed at the site includes walling and approach road, laboratory block, administrative block and auction area.

The Minister was replying to a question raised by legislator Neelam Kumar Langeh.

Elaborating further, the Minister said that the estimated production of Anardana in Ramban Constituency is about 1134.121 M.T against the total production of 1216.781 M.T in the district. He said that as per the commitment of the Chief Minister, the Detailed Project Report for developing Anardana Village in Ramban district has been formulated at an estimated cost of Rs.2.88 crore and is under consideration. He said that an amount of Rs.50.00 lakh has been kept as token provision in the Capex Budget 2018-19 for the implementation of the same.

Hanjura said that during 2016-17, the farmers of Ramban district were provided agriculture tools including water lifting pumps and power tillers. He said during 2017-18 the agriculture tools including manual sprayers and water distribution pipes were made available to the farmers of Ramban constituency. He said that in the areas of Ramban constituency falling in Doda district, the tools are being provided to the farmers in the shape of grain Storage Bins, Garden how, Plough, Kuddal, power tiller etc.

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