Modi government reduced import duty on apples from 75 to 50 percent
Himachal Pradesh Congress Party Vice President Naresh Chauhan hit back at the BJP leaders and said that the BJP leaders are defaming Himachal Pradesh with their factless statements. He said that Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur is claiming to give a support price of Rs 50 per kg to apple growers which is completely wrong. He said that the present state government has made a historic increase in apple support price by one and a half rupees from Rs 10 and a half to Rs 12. At the same time, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi is falsely accusing Congress of reducing the import duty because the Modi government has reduced the import duty on apples from 75 percent to 50 percent. He said that apple growers are demanding a 100 percent increase in this import duty. Due to the reduction in import duty on apples, apple growers in the state are facing huge losses and are incurring a loss of Rs 800 to 1200 per box of apples kept in cold stores.
Naresh Chauhan said that apples without duty are coming to India from Afghanistan and Iran due to which the apple horticulture of the state is in crisis. He said that the present state government, along with increasing the support price on apples, also ensured the sale of apples on a per kg basis in the last season, which benefited them. The state government is going to implement universal cartons from the next apple season. Along with this, the cold store infrastructure is being strengthened and a fruit processing unit has been established at Parala in Shimla district to benefit the apple growers.
Vice President of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee said that Meenakshi Lekhi is not aware of the facts because she said that Modi provided electricity to Naldehra, Kufri, and Chharabra whereas 100% electrification of all the villages in Himachal Pradesh had happened decades ago. Today, even in tribal areas, there is no village where there is no electricity system.
Naresh Chauhan said that BJP has tried to topple an elected government. BJP bought MLAs and conspired against the government. He said that the people of the state are angry with the present BJP MPs because they did not raise the issues of Himachal in the Parliament. He said that BJP MP from Shimla, Suresh Kashyap, should tell the people of the state how many questions he asked in the Parliament.
