Youth in Bijbehara resort to ‘self help’
Open own fruit Mandi as govt fails to establish one
Bijbehara: Alleging that the government failed on its promise of establishing a fruit Mandi in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara several educated youth in Dachnipora belt in Bijbehara area have opened their mini fruit mandis in the area.
Locals from the area said that since the past eight years the authorities have been assuring the people that a fruit mandi will be established in the area. However, the promises have not been fulfilled forcing them to take an initiative to open their own mini fruit mandis in the area.
They said that 2013 government decided to build a state of the art fruit market at Jablipora area of Bijbehara and subsequently 440 kanals of land were notified for the purpose but the civil works to be carried out on the mandi have remained incomplete even after eight years have passed.
Aamir Ahmad who along with two other friends opened his mini fruit mandi, said that the government has failed to complete the works on fruit mandi so the youth decided to initiate their own small mandis so that the move can generate employment for the local youth.
He said that the youth who have come forward to establish their own mandis have decided to work on a commission of mere eight percent.
“Out of this four percent will be returned back to the traders so that they can earn some more profits from the sales of their produce,” added Amir.
He further added that people can save fair charges by sending their produce from the transport facilities that they have kept available.
“Traders will get their payment within 10 days which they usually get after months when they sell their produce to other markets,” he added.
Locals of the area have hailed the efforts of the local youth and hoped that they will get better rates this year that too at their doorsteps.
Pertinently, horticulture sector is considered to be the backbone of the economy here however, the sector suffered huge losses during the past few years primarily due to clampdown after August 05, early snowfall and covid-19 lock down.
Jahangeer Ganaie
