Himachal Horticulture Minister must be from apple belt: Growers

Tribune News Service

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, December 11

Apple growers are demanding that the Horticulture Minister should be from among the MLAs from the district, the largest producer of the fruit in the state.

Will be more accessible

Mahender Singh rarely met apple growers. If the Horticulture Minister is from Shimla, he will be far more accessible to them. Dimple Panjta, hoticulture body chief

“A person coming from the apple belt will understand and address our concerns much better than someone from the non-apple area,” said Lokinder Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association.

Over the past few decades, the Horticulture Minister had been from Shimla district except Mahender Singh, who hails from Mandi, held the portfolio in the outgoing BJP government. “He did not do much for apple growers. Even meeting him was a big challenge for growers,” said Bisht. He added that eventually apple growers had to launch an agitation against the government.

Seconding his proposal, Dimple Panjta, president of the Himalayan Society for Horticulture and Agriculture Development, said that Mohinder Singh had hardly visited the upper Shimla area. “He rarely met apple growers. If the Horticulture Minister is from Shimla, he will be far more accessible to them,” said Panjta.

Growers feel the minister coming from the apple belt will be more accountable. “He will have to work for the betterment of apple growers because they will decide his political future in the next elections. Why will someone, say from Kangra, be really concerned about the apple economy and growers,” said Bisht.

They feel that apple economy improved when the Horticulture Minister came from apple belt. “During the Congress rule in the past, Vidya Stokes had a good stint as Horticulture Minister. She was the one who brought the World Bank-funded Horticulture Development Project to the state,” said Pratap Chauhan, an orchardist of Kotkhai.

Through this project, planting material is being imported, cold stores are being upgraded and a processing plant is coming up at Parala mandi. “Also, BJP Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta from Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency had successful stints. Among his several contributions, setting up a mandi at Parala is most notable,” he said.

Having played a crucial role in helping the Congress win seven out of eight seats in Shimla, the apple growers feel the Congress owes them a Horticulture Minister from their area.

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