Close on the heels of the Uttar Pradesh government showing doors to Muksh Ambani led Reliance Industries Limited, Punjab government is considering to review the much hyped Rs 500-crore ‘farm-to-fork’ project. Under this the company planned to manage farms, procure and store edibles and export them, besides using the produce to feed its retail plans.
Reliance Retail, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RIL has already opened 14 ‘Reliance Fresh’ stores in Punjab. It had inked the MoU with Punjab government under which the company had to initially invest Rs 500-crore for setting up rural hubs for procuring and marketing vegetables, fruits, pulses and other farm and dairy products. The company, could scale up its investment to Rs 3,000 crore later, had to develop procurement centres, cold storages and other allied infrastructure. However, before Reliance Retail could be allotted 263 acres of land at Goindwal Sahib focal point in Amritsar, a PIL was filed against it followed by code of election conduct.
Highly placed sources told FE on Monday that the present SAD-BJP government has decided not to go ahead with allotment of land to the company. Official sources in Punjab government said that government view was “yes to Reliance project but no to allotment or acquisition of land to the company”. Sources said that though there was no change in Punjab Land Allotment Rules, 2005 yet the government views its role as a facilitator and not as an agency that acquires or allots land to companies.
Principal secretary, industries and commerce, Punjab, AR Talwar told FE that “Reliance can avail usual facilities granted to other industries like 5% stamp duty exemption, exemption from 5% electricity duty and exemption from marketing fee being an agri-project”.
Reliable sources said that state chief secretary, Ramesh Inder Singh has asked financial commissioner, development to convene a meeting in this regard so that the project could be reviewed in view of opposition from farmers and employees of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation that had acquired the land at Goindwal Sahib to develop an industrial estate.