Punjab approves agri projects of Rs 276.4 cr

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An empowered committee of the Punjab government yesterday approved three agriculture mega projects and one mega food park with an investment of Rs 276.4 crore. The projects are expected to generate direct and indirect employment to nearly 6,000 people. Disclosing this here, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said the empowered committee, in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, approved a ring-frame spinning unit of J D Spintex at Samana at a cost of Rs 36.2 crore. Gee Emm Spinfab’s project of ring spindle spinning unit in the Samana tehsil, at an investment of Rs 48.1 crore, was also approved by the panel.

Likewise, the committee also gave approval for setting up of an agriculture mega industrial food park with an investment of Rs 130 crore by the International Mega Food Park in Ferozepur district.

The committee also approved Sampuran Agri Venture’s agri mega project scheme for setting up of wasteland development project in Ferozepur district at a cost of Rs 62.1 crore. In another decision, the committee cleared the revised policy for the grant of mega project concessions to rice shelling units. Under the revised policy, new rice shelling proposals under mega scheme would be considered on these parameters including that the unit should be located in any of the specified location including Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, SAS Nagar, Ferozepur, Faridkot and Mukatsar where availability of paddy is in excess of the milling capacity.

The unit should deploy modern state-of-art technology to ensure production of high quality rice confirmed by the State Food and Civil Supplies department. The by-product rice husk should be used for power cogeneration. The unit should ensure establishment of corresponding covered scientific warehouse for storage of paddy and rice. Allotment of FCI grade paddy to a mega unit would be according to the policy of the Food and Civil Supplies Department prevailing at that time. On inspection if the unit was found evading taxes, the concession would be withdrawn.

The committee also approved a policy for integrated sugar complexes at the state border. Under the policy, a sugar complex would comprise of a mill with minimum capacity of 3,000 TCD, power generation unit of minimum 15 Mw, a distillery of 30 kl.