CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government has decided to constitute a board to boost the production of vegetables, flowers and fruits in the state. 

A decision to this effect has been taken by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a meeting with the Pears, Vegetables growers and florists from all over the state at Punjab Bhawan on Thursday.Badal called upon Vegetables growers and florists to organize themselves by forming their respective associations and assured them that the state government would extend its support and cooperation to promote cultivation of fruits, vegetables and flowers in the state. 

Participating in the brain storming session which lasted more than two hours, Badal announced that ten clusters would be formed in different areas with concentration of vegetables, fruits and flowers in order to cater their needs in the state.  These clusters would promote the production on the one hand and provide good marketing opportunities to the growers for their produce on the other.  He further announced that government would also soon establish a pears estate in Punjab.  On the demand of the deputation, Badal called upon them to untidily evoke a marketing system and agreed to set up a special Mandi in or around Ludhiana for vegetables, fruits and flowers that would be maintained and managed by the growers themselves.The Chief Minister convened next meeting of the growers on September 27 to thrash out the pending issues and asked them to come prepared with valuable inputs so that consensus could be emerged on the marketing strategies to be adopted for the promotion of vegetables, fruits and flowers. 

Taking part in the deliberations, Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langha said that for the irrigation purpose through the sprinklers electricity connections would be provided on priority.  The issue of providing subsidy on the underground pipes for irrigation was also under consideration, informed Langha.He advised the farmers to install solar pumps and government would provide them subsidy on that. 

Prominent amongst others who were also present in the meeting included Advisor to Chief Minister Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Financial Commissioner Development NS Kang, Principal Secretary Finance Karan Avtar Singh,  MD Punjab Agro SK Sandhu,  Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Gagandip Singh Brar and Director Agriculture BS Sidhu.