SHOPIAN : Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, KK Sharma, today visited the Mega Fruit Mandi Aglar Shopian and reviewed the development activities being executed there.
District Development Commissioner Shopian, Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin, SSP Shopian, Amritpal, Director Industries, MD Sicop, Chief Agricultural Officer, Chief Horticulture Officer, Manager Industries, Police & other concerned officers accompanied the Advisor.
During his visit to Mandi Fruit Growers Association, Traders and Civil Society members met the Advisor and apprised him of their issues.
President Fruit Growers Association, Mohammad Ashraf, apprised the Advisor of several issues and demands which inter alia included protection Bund, macadamization of approach road, smooth plying of fruit trucks on National Highway and other hardships. Besides, civil society members and others also put forth their genuine demands for early settlement.
Advisor listened to the issues raised during his interaction with the public and assured that all these would be looked into seriously and redressed in a time bound manner.
Regarding de-congestion of traffic on national highway and Mughal road, the Advisor said that the matter would be taken up at the appropriate forum for an early redressal.
Advisor also visited and reviewed the functioning of various units including Orchard Fresh Cold Chain Private Limited, Green Valley Estates and Firdous Cold Storage Aglar Shopian and other units.
He asked for close scrutiny of the proposals being submitted by various aspiring entrepreneurs and big industrial units so that the viability of these can be ascertained.
Advisor urged upon the Fruit Growers, Traders and other stakeholders of the Mega Fruit Mandi Aglar and Industrial Estates to ensure strict adherence to all necessary preventive protocols regarding COVID-19 to contain further spread of this dreaded virus.
He directed the concerned officers to promote income generating activities and attract the young entrepreneurs towards Hi-tech farming ventures.
During his visit to Industrial Estates Aglar, the Advisor emphasized upon quality of the apple production to make them more competitive.
DDC briefed the Advisor about various development activities being taken up in the area like augmenting power supply and portable drinking water, better road connectivity and other development works going on in the Mandi. He said that Executing Agencies have geared up to fill up the gaps created due to COVID-19 and additional men and machinery has been pressed into service for timely completion of works. He said that the district administration is on its toes for rapid restoration of all developmental works for making the Mega fruit Mandi Aglar fully functional.
