Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that the spice park in the Padigal village of Velpur Mandal in Nizamabad district will be built totally with State Government funding. He issued directions for completion of the park in the next two years so that the farmers of turmeric and other spices are benefited.
The spice park was initially intended to be built by Spices Board of India, but the Central Government has backtracked in the last moment, which has left the project with State Government, a press release informed.
The decision for a spice park in each State was taken by the erstwhile UPA government as per the recommendations by the 11{+t}{+h}Finance Commission, and a park was established accordingly in Guntur district in the joint State.
After bifurcation, the Telangana government has approached the Centre requesting for another park. Land to the extent of 40 acres was acquired in the Padigal village, spending Rs.5 crore, where it was agreed upon mutually to build a spice park.
A survey was done and a report was prepared for setting up of processing unit, warehouses, administrative building, and computer trading centre in the park, at cost of Rs.30.81 crore. However, the Central Government has recently informed the State that the park cannot be taken up.
The State Government will spend Rs.15 crore this year, and Rs.15.81 crore the next year for the spice park. Vemula Prashant Reddy, MLA of the Balkonda constituency, where the park is coming up, has thanked the Chief Minister profusely. He also thanked Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and MP K.Kavitha for making efforts for the spice park, the press release informed.