With an aim to cater to the needs of ever-increasing population in the metropolis, the government’s plan to establish two new sabzi mandis (vegetable markets) on the city’s outskirts remains what the sources call ‘a pipe dream’ as the construction on the sites could not be kicked off even after the passage of more than four years.
In 2009, the Sindh government had decided to set up two new vegetable markets (sabzi mandis) at a cost of Rs 3 billion on the city’s outskirts to facilitate ever-growing population.
These markets, having the total cost of Rs 3 billion and spreading over 100 acres of land, are supposed to be established at Northern Bypass and Ghaghar Phattak on Indus Highway.
The government had purchased the land for the said purpose in 2008, however, the work on the sites could not be started due to apathy of authorities concerned. The construction work of both the markets had to be completed by June 2010, sources in the agriculture department told Pakistan Today.
According to the summary approved by the Sindh chief minister, officials said the scrutiny committee had fixed market price in respect of category A-1 of Deh Gundapass at R s4 million per acre and Rs 10 million per acre for Deh Joveji. Thus, the cost of the required land of 200 acres would be Rs 1,400 million, adding that the process of purchasing land for the project had taken a long time, they said.
The funds for the construction of boundary walls and gates, transport, machinery and equipment, operational cost/recruiting contingencies, media campaigns, consultancy charges and third-party monitoring cost (one percent) had been provided by the provincial government through the Annual Development Programme (ADP). However, the ill-planning and apathy of authorities had put this important plan in cold storage.
The project is aimed at improving farm productivity, food security and economic conditions of the small farmers, besides augmenting the country’s economy to support farmers for selling their products at reasonable rates.
The soil of Sindh has a lot of potential for growing varieties of vegetables specially the lower parts of the province for its climatic conditions which have also advantages for growing many off-season vegetables. Besides, it is the second largest province of the country in area where vegetables were being cultivated, they said, adding the marketing aspects of vegetables had not received sufficient attention despite the government’s efforts for the promotion of agriculture sector.
The markets were to facilitate the growers and traders by providing basic infrastructure, wide roads, ample vehicle parking space and utilities like water supply, sewerage, surface drainage, internal RCC roads, electricity, mosques, lavatory block and post office. It would also have space for cold storage, construction of auction platforms and public facilitation centres such as banks, post office, information centre, digital display boards and weigh bridges.
The market committee of Karachi is responsible for operation of markets under the provision of APM Act 1939 and would ensure transparent auction of the products. Moreover, the sources said the market fee would be charged from the buyers as per the Agriculture Produce Market Act 1939.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Abdul Rauf Tanoli, General Secretary of the Welfare Association of Wholesale Vegetable Market, said the establishment of new vegetable markets would not facilitate traders and consumers. The government had yet to provide basic facilities, including potable water, electricity, sewerage system and roads at the existing market that had been declared as a model market of the country, he added.
He said the government was wasting billions of rupees on such projects instead of maintaining the infrastructure of the existing one. He alleged that many market committee officials were involved in corruption and failed to facilitate traders which had badly affected the revenue collection. He demanded that the government should appoint sincere officials on the market committees and ensure provision of basic amenities.
I'm all for capitalism, but true capitalism. I'm not for businesses profiting at the expense of the taxpayer. If companies are investing their own money that is fine and dandy. But when they want to dip in the public treasury, that's when they have crossed the line. It's why I oppose stadiums and arenas built at taxpayer expense only to turn around and charge enormous prices for parking, tickets, food and other stuff to those same taxpayers. Then turn around and pay no taxes at all like the NFL,NBA and NHL team owners
Every week I have to drive on Interstate I-90 in Massachusetts. This is a public road built with taxpayer money in the 1950's,earns millions of dollars, then turns around and every years requests millions more in Transportation monies from Washington for road repairs. Where did all that money go that was made from collecting tolls?
Pork barrel politics is what we have in Washington. Conservatives complain about the 48 million people who are collecting SNAP benefits so they don't starve or us seniors that live on that meager social security we get ,yet ignore the Billions that we paid out every year in Corporate Welfare programs
Both parties are equally as guilty when it comes to their special projects in their home districts. We in Massachusetts have Congressman Jim McGovern that on one hand argues against the cuts to the SNAP program, yet with his other hand requests public monies for questionable projects, like Proposed Recipient: Assumption College, Worcester.
Construction of a Parking Garage at Assumption College. Assumption College plans to construct a simple, economical and efficient parking garage between the Kennedy classroom building and the athletic fields in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of people from the community who spend time on campus. In particular, the senior citizens attending the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE) program are in dire need of parking that is not far from the location of the majority of their seminars and activities. When students, faculty, and senior citizens cannot find appropriate parking on campus, the cars overflow to neighborhood streets, dissipating some of the community goodwill generated by having activities on campus in the first place. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will allow senior citizens, students, and faculty to have convenient, safe parking options.
This is a private college that has a big endowment fund, lots of Alumni and charges an in-state college tuition of $34,000 for off campus and $48,000 per student for on campus living. So why the special treatment? Here's why-- Paul Belisto. He is the Executive Director of Community Relation's at Assumption College and before that he worked for Congressman McGovern's office.
Again this is a private NGO that should get its own funding for projects and not be using taxpayer monies regardless of the reasons. Corporate Welfare. The federal budget is filled with outrageous, inappropriate, useless, counterproductive, and simply wasteful spending like this project of Congressman McGovern's.
Washington has become an endless soup kitchen for special interests, with a grant or loan seemingly available for every interest group with a letterhead and at least three members. Legislators need to find some political courage and take a meat ax to the budget. It is a target-rich environment.
Admittedly, there are some essential programs, such as providing for our seniors, the poorest of our society, children and the disabled. Or the judicial system. But even where Washington is doing something useful, say national law enforcement, many of its activities are not justified. For instance, the FBI performs a useful role, but not the Drug Enforcement Agency, which tosses people in jail for hurting themselves. Paying out billions of dollars to police departments to become local military style units, when that money could have been used in education programs that prevent crime and help get people back to work.
Read the full story at www.ecived.com/en/!
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