Saini for increased number of silos, warehouses

Chandigarh: To prevent damage to food grains, it is essential to have an adequate number of warehouses and silos in the state, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Wednesday.He directed the departments concerned to prepare a detailed action plan and find a permanent solution to the issue of grain storage at the earliest.Prepare a plan to construct a silo (large warehouse) between Shahabad and Ambala, the CM told the officers during a review meeting on grain storage across the state and water supply arrangements in the Palwal and Nuh regions.He further directed that up to 100 acres of land be acquired between the railway line and a road. This will ensure cost-effective connectivity of the silo with the rest of the country, the CM said while directing the officers to complete the planning process for land acquisition and silo construction within one month.Agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Shyam Singh Rana was also present in the meeting.Saini further said due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, demand for fruits and vegetables in that region was significant. He directed the warehousing corporation to prepare a plan for setting up a silo or a large warehouse near Hisar airport to safely store fruits and vegetables. These could then be supplied to the Middle East via Hisar airport, enabling farmers to get better prices for their produce, he emphasised. Canal-based Water SupplyOfficers of the public health department informed the meeting that drinking water was currently supplied through tube wells in 108 villages of Palwal and Nuh, as well as in Punhana town. To maintain groundwater levels, the department plans to install seven Ranney wells and boosting stations, at an estimated cost of Rs 765 crore.The CM directed the officials that, in addition, a plan should be prepared to provide canal-based water supply in the areas currently dependent on tube wells. He said that with the development of new industrial zones in Nuh and Palwal, water demand would increase significantly in the future.MSID:: 130857779 413 |