Commence Ladhowal mega food park by July, else will cancel project: Centre to Punjab govt

The Centre Friday said it will be forced to cancel the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation's proposed mega food park at Ladhowal in Ludhiana as the project has not been made operational within the stipulated time period.

Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has written a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asking him to take necessary action to operationalise the park by next month.

"Punjab govt's Agro Corp has overshot completion date for Ladhowal food park by one year. My repeated letters to @capt_amarinder have made little effect. Now @MOFPI_GOI will be compelled to terminate project for which it gave Rs 50 cr grant, if not operationalised by next month," Badal tweeted.

The Centre had given a grant of Rs 50 crore for setting up of the mega food park at Ladhowal in Ludhiana district. The proposed project was approved in November 2015 and was to be completed by May 2018, she said.

Badal added that her ministry has been regularly reviewing the progress of the mega food park which is expected to generate employment for youth, benefit farmers and promote industry in Punjab.

In the letter, the minister urged the Punjab Chief Minister to "direct concerned authorities to expedite the completion of all the facilities at the mega food park in Ladhowal on top priority."