Fruit & vegetable market in Sialkot approved

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Jawwad Rizvi
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved development of a private sector fruit and vegetable market parallel to a government-operated market in Sialkot, The News has learnt.

The go-ahead came in response to a request by commission agents of Sialkot, during the chief minister’s visit to the city on July 28. They demanded a fruit and vegetable market at Akbarabad near Ghallah Mandi instead of Eminabad road.

For the shifting of the fruit and vegetable market, a piece of land measuring 153 canals at Eminabad road was acquired in consultation with Anjuman-e-Arhitian, commission agents and the district government. The cost of acquisition of land amounting to Rs26.898 million was paid and possession was given to the market committee. Market Committees Provincial Fund Board contributed a sum of Rs23.057 million for the purchase of land. The map of the market was also approved and 269 plots were carved out, of which 145 plots from allotment quota have been allotted to the commission agents.

However, Anjuman-e-Arhitian later objected to the transfer of market to the already decided site and has demanded to establish the market at Akbarabad near Ghala Mandi. The Anjuman has offered 13 acres of land for establishing the Mandi at their desired site.

The Punjab government has however, refused to entertain their demand of shifting the proposed market to another site at this stage, as the land was already acquired and allotment process was at its final stage. The government said that it will cause huge losses to Market Committees Fund Board because substantial interest could have been gained on the funds if these would not have been transferred for the purchase of land. There is also no mechanism to sell the land once transferred in the name of the market committee.

However, Punjab government by relaxing the rules has granted to establish a fruit & vegetable market at Akbarabad near new Ghalla Mandi on 13 acres of land to accommodate the demand of Anjuman-e-Arhitian. This market will serve as a parallel market and will provide an opportunity for healthy competition with the market established in public sector at Eminabad Road Sialkot.

The agriculture department has already granted permission to establish a few markets in private sector by relaxing Rule 67 of Punjab Agriculture Produce Markets (General) Rules, 1967. Following the permission, the Punjab agriculture department after detailed deliberations, has prepared guidelines for establishment of market in private sector in order to protect the interest of all stakeholders.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=143630