Maharashtra govt working on three-point agenda to strengthen farmers, says Devendra Fadnavis

Nashik: The Maharashtra government is working on a three-point agenda that includes providing uninterrupted power, water and stable market to strengthen farmers in the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday. “The state government is working to provide farmers electricity, water and stable market to strengthen them and bring positive changes in their life,” the chief minister said after laying the foundation stone of a multi-purpose cold storage plant in Lasalgaon village in the district. [caption id=“attachment_3794073” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Devendra Fadnavis. PTI[/caption] Once completed, the 2,500-tonne capacity cold storage plant will be able to store 1,500 tonnes of onions and 1,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetable for export. The plant is being jointly developed by the railways and the Lasalgaon’s Cooperative Kharedi Vikri Sangh, said Nanasaheb Patil, chairman of Kharedi-Vikri Sangh. Railways minister Suresh Prabhu, MoS for Defence Subhash Bhamare, Nashik district guardian minister Girish Mahajan, tourism minister Jaykumar Rawal were present on the occasion. “Famers should store onions and other agricultural products in the cold storages so that their agricultural produce will fetch good rates,” he said, adding that Central government will set up 227 cold storages across the country, of which 52 will be in Maharashtra. Prabhu said the Centre and state governments are working together to ensure that farmers get benefited from their policies. “The government has taken a string of important decisions, including setting up multi-purpose cold storage projects. The Container Corporation of India (CCI) would assist farmers by using a high technology so to as bring their agricultural produce in the market,” he said. Prabhu said Kamayani Express will stop at Lasalgaon station as per demands of the local people. Later, Fadnavis laid a foundation stone of the project that envisages modernisation of ‘Mela Bus Stand’ in Nashik. The project envisages the development of the bus stand, owned by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, on the lines of an airport.