Dairy-shifting project: Patiala MC refuses deduction in base price

The municipal corporation (MC) of Patiala has sent a proposal file to the state government requesting them to give rebate in loan interest to dairy owners who are

The municipal corporation (MC) of Patiala has sent a proposal file to the state government requesting them to give rebate in loan interest to dairy owners who are to be relocated under the much awaited dairy-shifting project.

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The civic body, however, has denied any reduction in the base price and giving ownership rights to the dairy owners.

Under the policy framed by them, all farm owners operating within the city, have to shift to a project site spread across 21 acre at Ablowal village, where they will be given plots at government-controlled rates.

In the first phase, as many as 120 dairies will be relocated and their owners will be provided land for ₹3,500 per square yard. Deadline for the first phase is June 30 this year.

Raising questions over the policy formulated by the civic body for their rehabilitation, the dairy farmers’ union has been demanding ownership rights to the allocated plots, reduction of base price from ₹3,500 to ₹1,000, rebate in interest on loan instalments following purchasing the plots, and no government fee on registration of plots.

Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu said that on the representation given by the dairy owners of Patiala, the agenda related to their demands was tabled before the MC General House during a meeting last week.

“The MC House has given its green signal for providing rebate in loan interests. However, since it is a self financed project, it will not be economically feasible for the municipal corporation to reduce the base price,” the mayor said.

He added that the civic body has also agreed upon the demand of increasing plots sizes ranging between 300-1,000 square yards.

“The MC has already told the dairy owners that it will be mandatory for them to shift their operations from the city limits so as to resolve the sewage issue,” he said.

MC commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said that a file related to rebate in loan interests has been forwarded to the local government department for final approval.

“Since it is for the welfare of public at large, we are making every possible effort to expedite the development of the project and rehabilitating the dairy farms at the earliest,” she said.

Patiala’s dairy union vice-president Nishan Singh said that they are being relocated to new places, therefore, the logistics and finances of their businesses are going to change, but the civic body is not providing any concrete relief to them.

“We are yet to receive updates on the issue of rebate in loan interests, but we are surely going to meet the municipal corporation officials again,” he said.

As many as 257 dairies, with approximately 6,000 milch animals, are presently operating within the city limits and will be relocated to the new site. In the first phase, 120 dairies will be shifted to open plots, which the dairy owners will develop accordingly.

The total cost of the project is pegged at ₹13.53 crore as the public works department (PWD) and other departments concerned have initiated work, including construction of approach roads, a sewage treatment plant, veterinary hospitals and power connections, on the site.