To boost export prospects of Basmati and give impetus to the much-needed agriculture diversification program, Punjab Rice Millers Exporters Association on Tuesday firmed up a massive investment of Rs350 crore for setting up ultra modern rice mills in the State.
An assurance to this effect was given by the delegation of the Association led by its president Ashok Sethi to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in a meeting here at Chief Minister’s residence.
The delegation expressed its gratitude to the Chief Minister for recently extending a slew of incentives to Rice Millers for the promotion of Basmati cultivation and boosting its export potential in the global market in terms two per cent exemption on Rural Development Fund (RDF), three per cent Punjab Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), and two per cent market fee on Basmati worth Rs200 crore.
Reciprocating the goodwill gesture of the State Government to ensure level playing field to the Basmati growers as well as millers and exporters, the delegation also promised to run two state-of-art ITIs at Ferozepur and Tarn Taran after upgrading them to train manpower required in the rice mills. PNS