Chief Minister lays foundation stone for Spices Park

YADLAPADU/ NARSARAOPET: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a Spices Park at Mydavolu village in Yadlapadu mandal. Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh was present.

The Spices Park would come up on a 125-acre site, making it the largest of the six parks coming across the country. It would have facilities for mass drying of Chilli, besides processing, drying and pulverizing of other spices.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Reddy termed the park a boon to the farmers of the region who had been cultivating chilli and turmeric for many years. The spices laboratory which would also come up in this region would provide the technical and scientific assistance to the farmers. He assured the farmers, who had given away land for the park, jobs in the Government.

Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said that the park being built at a cost of Rs.85 crores would be completed within two years. The Commerce Ministry would provide Rs.25 crore, while the remaining amount would be pooled through investments from four private companies. He said that four private companies had already evinced interest in setting up facilities and land had been allotted to them. Guntur M.P Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Ministers M. Venkata Ramana Rao, M. Hanumantha Rao, Chilakaluripet MLA Marri Rajasekhar, MLAs and MLCs were present.

Mr. Reddy arrived an hour behind the schedule from Rajahmundry as overcast conditions prevailing throughout the day kept the officials on tenterhooks. The Chief Minister landed at Narsaraopet one and a half hours behind the schedule. With the helipad at the K.B.R College soaked due to the overnight heavy rain, officials made emergency landing arrangements on the Guntur Road.

Later, inaugurating the Rajiv Arogyasri Health Insurance and a mega medical camp held on the grounds of P.N.C & K.R College grounds at Narsaraopet, the Chief Minister said that the State Government would soon introduce `104’ telemedicine services across the State. People living in villages, located at least 3 k.m away from the nearest Primary Health Centres, could avail themselves of this facility. The `hospital on wheels’ would visit every village at least once a month and screen the patients. Health Minister Galla Aruana Kumari, Civil Supplies Minister Kasu Krishna Reddy and Rajiv Arogyasri Trust C.E.O A. Babu were present.