Rs 16 Cr subsidy for Adani group thru National Horticulture Board

The Adani  Group got Rs. 15.98 Crore subsidy from National Horticulture Board to set up three Cold Atmosphere stores in Himachal Pradesh from 2008 to 2011. Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi informed the house on Tuesday that subsidy tune to Rs 1598.79 lakh was provided by National Horticulture Board to Adani Group through NABARD but no MoU was signed in this context.

Replying to a query raised by the Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore (Theog) minister said that “C.A. STORES” has been set up by the  Adani Group in district Shimla at  village Sainj, tehsil Theog, village- Mehdali, tehsil Rohru and village Revali, tehsil Kumarsain. The Minister said that no Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) was signed about three CA stores being set up in Shimla district by Adani Group and that the government could not lay a copy of  MOC in the house.

The Minister said that on the concern of MLA that Adani Group could be dealt under APMC act for manipulation in the apple markets and the government may take up action within APMC provision. Minister assured the member that the government would see if MOU could be signed in this state to relieve the affected apple growers.

Earlier raising this issue in the assembly during question hours Member of Assembly from Theog alleged that Adani group is manipulating apple prices by causing slump in the markets. He said that group remained silent during the apple season in the low belt and farmers could fetch remunerative prices however as apple crops of the mid belt hit the market the the group declared its apple rate leading to massive slumps on the markets.

Raising supplementary query about MOU from his own government Kuldeep Singh rathore stated that if MOU did not exist why state could not sign fresh MOU with the group in wake to stop the manipulation in the apple markets as the matter Adani groups are controlling Rs 5000 apple economy. Former Congress president also said that Adani group was allowed after giving exemption under section 118 of Land Reform and tenancy Act. To end the exploitation of middlemen and commission agents, the government had given exemptions under 118 with the hope that it would help apple growers, instead of manipulating the market and hitting their interest.