BHOPAL: The Union ministry of surface transport has approved a sum of Rs 2,000 crore under the CRF fund for repair of dilapidated road in Madhya Pradesh. The approval came after chief minister Chouhan met Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday and apprised him of the poor state of MP roads.
Chouhan who was in Delhi, met union ministers Piyush Goyal and Radha Mohan Singh, besides Gadkari and discussed various issues related to their departments.
Chouhan also put forth a demand before the Gadkari to declare 13 roads of 767 km length as national highways. He urged Gadkari to include these roads in the annual work plan of next year.
During his meeting with Union coal minister Piyush Goyal, Chouhan discussed issues of closed mines of Vishnupuri and Moari of Chhindwara district. The union minister said that Vishnupuri and Moari mines were closed due to security reasons and assured that the mines will be started again taking into account the strict security norms. Temporary workers of these mines and their families will be benefitted by the decision, he said.
The chief minister informed that work is not going well at Jamuniya mine, which was started in 2015. He urged the union minister to accelerate the work speed of the mine. Moreover, Chouhan also demanded to start work at Dhankasha mine at the earliest. Foundation of this mine was laid in 2013.
The chief minister said that the temporary workers of these mines will not be transferred outside if the pace of work was increased. He said workers of these mines will not face shortage of employment. Chouhan during his meeting with Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh discussed issues related to GI tag to Basmati.
CM lodges protest over rejection of GI tag
The chief minister lodged his protest over rejection of GI tag to state’s Basmati rice. He said rice produced in 13 districts of Madhya Pradesh is well known as Basmati for the last 108 years. It has its own identity ICAR has also given a complete report on the matter. “The union agriculture ministry will present its opinion before the government after studying the facts in this regard” Singh is learnt to have assured. He also instructed the officials of NAFED to procure gram, red lentil and mustard on minimum support price (MSP) with effect from April 10.
The union minister also issued directives for appointing surveyors for agriculture produce mandis (APMs). He instructed to abolished the sale limit of Rs 25,000 per day of the farmers. Chouhan also urged the Centre to appoint surveyors at 257 agriculture mandis in the state. He said, in view of bumper harvest, 25 quintal per day sale limit per farmer be abolished. The chief minister also requested for immediate payment of 90% of crops procured in the season.
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Thawar Chand Gehlot were also present during the meeting.
