Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani has big designs on Punjab. The savvy industrialist brought a promise of cheer to the state’s beleaguered farmers when he unveiled his ambitious ‘farm to fork’ project at a meeting with the Chief Minister here today. He proposes to kickstart the project on his father Dhirubhai Ambani’s birth anniversary this December.Ambani, who met both Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Finance Minister Surinder Singla, reportedly told the Punjab CM that he was interested in picking up fresh farm produce in bulk from the state, and airlifting it to other countries in Gulf and South East Asia.‘‘We will deliver it fresh to their dining tables’’, is how he put it. The farmers will stand to double or even triple their income if they produce quality veggies, he promised.To start with, the thrust would be on fresh fruits and vegetables. ‘‘The era of canned and frozen food is over. Everyone wants to eat farm-fresh food,’’ he reportedly told the select gathering.Ambani is said to have hinted at an initial investment of Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore. He also spoke of using 20 to 25 planes for airlifting the produce from the Amritsar International Airport every day.Ambani further said he would be willing to extend a helping hand by training the farmers and carrying out research on soil. He also promised to pay the Punjab farmer a ‘‘decent amount’’, much higher than the amount at present. But unlike in contract farming, the farmer would be free to sell his produce elsewhere as well.Ambani said he had zeroed in on Punjab due to its ‘‘excellent road connectivity even up to village level, and the proven worth of the Punjabi farmer who has never failed to deliver despite all odds’’. He is looking at the government as a facilitator. The Punjab top brass was understandably pleased.Those who attended the meeting included FM Surinder Singla, CS Jai Singh Gill, P.K. Verma, Principal Secretary, Industries, S.C. Agarwal, PS to CM, Suresh Kumar, and MD, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, Himmat Singh. Ambani was picked up from the airport by the FM for breakfast at his residence, from where he went to meet the CM, before his meeting with the Haryana CM.RIL to set up SEZCHANDIGARH: THE Haryana government and Reliance Industries today agreed in principle to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with the participation of Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC).According to a Reliance spokesperson, the 15,000-acre SEZ will be in Garhi, Harsaru (between Manesar and Jhajjar) and will be a joint venture between the HSIDC and RIL on an equity basis. The size of the proposed project is between Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 22,000 crore.A statement of intent was signed today by Mukesh Ambani and Managing Director, HSIDC, Rajiv Arora in the presence of Chief Minister B S Hooda, Principal Secretary to CM M.L. Tayal and Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Industries, P.K. Chaudhary and senior officers of RIL at Haryana Niwas.Hooda said details of the arrangement with Ambani were still being worked out. Asked if the Haryana government will sign any MoU with the Ambanis, Hooda said, if necessary, this will be done at a later stage. Ambani did not comment on the issue.
