New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to slap a ban on apple imports from Turkey and Azerbaijan. It was during the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog held at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday that he raised the request and underlined that Prime Minister Modi assured him it would be given due consideration.
Talking to reporters after the NITI Aayog meeting, the Himachal CM said that he spoke to PM Modi “about the prices of our orchards falling due to imported apples, which causes losses”. He added that he requested that a ban be imposed on apples from Turkey and Azerbaijan. Sukhu said that he would ensure that the import of apples does not cause orchardists of Himachal Pradesh to suffer losses.
Sukhu’s request to ban apple imports from Turkey and Azerbaijan comes amid strained relations with both countries, after they declared their support for Pakistan — especially during the military conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Besides this, Sukhu pointed out that he drew attention of the Planning Commission towards some environment concerns of his state. He underlined that the state’s cold deserts are not recognised as forest land because of which the state does not get its fair dues.
“I told the Planning Commission that our forest land is 68 per cent, and our forest cover is 28 per cent. We have not been done justice in the parameters set by the Finance Commission. In the Niti Aayog meeting, we raised this point that our cold deserts are not counted as forest land…,” Sukhu said.
During the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday, PM Modi asked states to prioritise the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India), stressing that every state, city, municipality, and village should strive to become ‘viksit’.
