Horticulture and PHE Minister Kusum Mahdele has directed Agro to also run activities of cottage industries. She was addressing the 168th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Agro Industries Development Corporation at Panchanan Bhavan here on Tuesday.
Principal Secretary ,Horticulture, Rajesh Rajaura, Managing Director Rakesh Shrivastava and other officers were present on the occasion. Kusum Mahdele said that Agro should market products like potato chips, dry vegetables etc. under cottage industry. She said that Babai agriculture farm should be developed as a model farm under PPP mode at the earliest. Mahdele directed to use Babai agriculture farm in horticulture activities. She said that apart from horticulture activities in one fourth area of the farm, training etc. should also be conducted. Food processing activities should also be run there.
Mahdele expressed satisfaction that Agro has registered a turnover of Rs 1396.10 crore against the target of Rs 1362.50 crore during year 2013-14. She described the 102 percent achievement against target as outstanding. She also expressed happiness that Agro earned Rs 45.96 crore profit during the last financial year.
The meeting was informed that Agro is estimated to earn profit of Rs 40.51 crore from commercial, engineering, nutritious food and production activities during year 2014-15. The meeting decided to authorise the Managing Director for policymaking and decisions regarding discharge of corporate social responsibility under provisions of the Company Act.
As against Central Government’s target of setting up 10,000 bio-gas plants, 600 plants are to be set for scheduled caste beneficiaries and 9,400 for rest of categories. As many as 3,448 plants have been set up till November and 718 are under construction.