PATNA HAAT

Patna Haat, export promotion of fruits, handicrafts from Bihar: Jairam

State Government has already earmarked two acres of land in Patna for the new
handicrafts bazaar

NEW DELHI: Keen to replicate in Bihar the success of `Dilli Haat', the Centre plans to open a `Patna Haat' that will provide a platform to showcase handicrafts, Madhubani artworks and handloom items of Bhagalpur in the State Capital.
The State Government has already earmarked two acres of land in Patna for developing the handicrafts bazaar on the lines of `Dilli Haat' there. In a bid to tap the export potential of Bihar in sectors like horticulture, handicrafts and leather, the Centre has assured the State of creating a suitable infrastructure in a big way.
"A team of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will visit Bihar and prepare a concrete proposal for promoting export of fruits like litchi, mangoes, bananas and pineapples," Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said. Winding up a two-day visit to Bihar, the Minister told The Hindu on phone from Patna that the Centre would provide funds for creating cold storage facilities, refrigerated vans and air cargo complex in the State Capital.
Concerned over negligible exports from Bihar where a huge potential exists for export of fruits, agricultural produce and processed food products, Mr.Ramesh said that his Ministry's aim was to energise export-oriented activities in Bihar which would simultaneously generate employment opportunities. He said that export of medicinal plants from Bihar could also be taken up in a big way.
The State Government will send a proposal to the Ministry of Commerce for providing testing and certification facilities for medicinal plants in the State.
`Raw material for leather exports'
He said that Bihar could also provide raw material for leather exports apart from Chennai, Kanpur and Agra, the other hubs of leather exports from India. He said that Council for Leather Export would submit a proposal on how to attract private investment in the sector in Bihar.
The Minister's visit to Bihar came as part of his initiative to create export infrastructure in poor and backward States. He has already visited Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
As part of its efforts to provide infrastructure for development of handicraft and handloom sector in Bhagalpur, Gaya, Madhubani, Nalanda and Biharsharif, the Centre has agreed to provide Rs. 2 crores to the State.
Mr. Jairam Ramesh said that he would take up with the Civil Aviation Ministry the need to expedite execution of an Air Cargo Complex at Patna airport by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The project has been hanging fire for the past four years. He said the demand of the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to have an inland freight container depot with custom clearance facility would be taken up with the Finance Ministry.

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RANJAN RITURAJ SINH