Himachal govt announces MIS for Apple, Mango & Kinnow
SHIMLA: Ahead of the apple season, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Thursday enhanced the procurement price of apples to Rs 10.50 per kg for under market Intervention scheme.
A meeting of the state cabinet held today decided to give its nod to extend the Market Intervention Scheme for Procurement of Mango and citrus fruits viz. Kinnow, Malta, Orange and Galgal for the year 2022 with an enhancement of Rs. 1 per kg from last year.
Chief Minister
Thakur presided meeting
Under
Jai Ram over the
the MIS
scheme, 144936 MT apples would be procured under MIS at the rate of Rs. 10.50 per kg with handling charges of Rs. 2.75 per kg. Around 300 procurement centres would be opened as per the demand of the fruit growers out of which 169 collection centres would be opened and operated by HPMC and 136 by HIMFED.
The cabinet said approximately 250 MT seedling, 500 MT grafted and 500 MT Achari mango would be procured at the rate of Rs. 10.50 for all varieties of mango. These would be procured through HPMC and HIMFED with handling charges at the rate of Rs. 1.30 per kg.
Similarly, 500 MT Kinnow, Malta and Orange would be procured at the rate of Rs. 9.50 (B grade) and Rs. 9 (C grade) per kg whereas 100 MT galgal would be procured at the rate of Rs. 8 per kg with handling charge of Rs. 2.65 per kg for citrus fruits and Rs.1 per kg for galgal.
The cabinet also decided to fill up 1300 posts of the medical officers, of which 500 posts of Medical Officers in the Health Department will be filled-up immediately to ensure better health services to the people of the State nearer to their homes.
The Cabinet also decided to fill up 880 posts of Community Health Officers on contract basis under National Health Mission in various Health and Wellness Centres of the State.
It also decided to fill up 19 posts of Medical Officers (Dental) in Department of Dental Health Services on contract basis i.e. 50 percent through Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission and 50 percent on batchwise basis.
The Cabinet gave its approval for going ahead with signing of loan agreement through the department of Economic Affairs, Government of India with Asian Development Bank for Rs. 1098.89 crore externally aided ‘Himachal Pradesh Rural Water Improvement and Livelihood Project’ for providing clean drinking water to every household of the state.
This project would be financed through a loan of Rs. 760.77 crore by Asian Development Bank and a counter fund of Rs. 338.12 crore by the Government of Himachal Pradesh in the ratio 69.2 percent of ADB share and 30.8 percent of State share.
In a major relief to Apple growers, Himachal Pradesh horticulture minister Mohinder Singh said the state government will bear the enhanced 6 percent GST on Apple cartons. The growers were agitated over the hiked GST on Apple packaging material and had threatened a direct action. They also met the minister and sought his intervention.