Ravi Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Gurdaspur, March 8
Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal today sanctioned the employment-generating Punjab Institute for Sugarcane Research and Development to be established in Kalanaur where 1,600 acres of panchayat land is lying vacant.
The venture is also a vote-spinning one as it is coming up on an area that falls in the ambit of Randhawa’s Assembly seat of Dera Baba Nanak.
The minister had been working hard to ensure such a project comes up in the state. A few months ago he had led a team of officials to Pune to study the working of the world famous Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI).
“The Kalanaur venture will perform all scientific, technical and educational functions relevant to the sugar industry under one umbrella. It will strive for an all-round progress of the sugar industry and will be developed on the lines of the Pune institute. Punjab is a key player in the sugarcane industry. I have been working on this project for the last several months and it is satisfying to see my efforts fructifying. We took advantage of the consultancy services the VSI provides to states. The VSI is known for developing sugarcane varieties and the Kalanaur project will also perform the same functions, ”said Randhawa.
With Assembly polls due early next year, observers claim this venture will help Randhawa in a big way.
“It will generate a lot of employment opportunities and youth of his seat of Dera Baba Nanak will benefit the most. Moreover, it is likely to give an impetus to the overall growth of the historical city of Kalanaur and its adjoining areas. With the setting up of the project, allied industrial units will also come up in the area. It is a win-win situation for Randhawa, ”said a Congress leader of the area.
