Badal exempts RDF payment on Basmati rice exports in Punjab

Chandigarh, Feb 13 (PTI) In a relief to the Basmati rice exporters, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today exempted Rural Development Fund (RDF) payment on the export of Basmati rice.
A decision to this effect was taken by Badal in a meeting with the delegation of Punjab Rice Millers Exporters Association, led by its President Rajeev Setia here at the Chief Minister''s residence, according to an official release here.
Setia on behalf of the entire rice exporting industry of the state expressed gratitude to Badal for conceding their long pending demand, which he said would certainly boost the export of rice from the state.
The delegation apprised Badal that the Association had taken a major initiative with the active support of Punjab Agriculture Department to diversify from the traditional varieties of rice to Basmati rice, which had helped to arrest the declining water table and save precious resources.
In another meeting with the delegation of Punjab Agricultural University Students Association, Badal assured that nearly 300 posts of Agriculture Development Officers and Horticulture Development Officers would be filled soon in a phased manner.
He also directed the Agriculture Department to immediately initiate the process of recruitment for these posts in a fair and transparent manner.

(Source: http://ping.fm/RqcPH)

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