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(a) whether the Government have taken final decision to establish Agricultural Export Zones in the country to make export of agricultural products more convenient;
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(b) if so, the places where these zones are proposed to be established, State-wise;
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(c) the time by which such zones would be established in each State; and
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(d) the criteria followed to select the location of such zones and the funding pattern thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY )
(a) & (b) : Yes, sir. The Government has given `in principle` approval for setting up six Agri-Export Zones in various States. These are at Ramnagar in Uttaranchal for Lychees, Agra for Potatoes and Lucknow for Mangoes in Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore in Karnataka for Gherkins, Siliguri and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal for Pineapples and Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, Ludhiana and Patiala areas of Punjab for Vegetables.
(c) : This will depend upon the receipt of proposals from the State Governments and its consideration to ascertain whether they are in line with the Policy of the Government in that regard.
(d) : Location is determined on the basis of the viability of setting up such Zones. The Government funding for the zones will be through convergence of various existing schemes of the Central and State Governments. The assistance provided as per these schemes would be utilised for funding the activities under the Agri Export Zones.