Imphal, June 20 2009: The Nilakuthi Food Park�construction of which has been started since March 2007�is obligated to miss the targeted date of completion, i.e.August 2009, as the authority has failed to draw Rs 885 lakh from the previous year's Plan Fund.

According to source from the Industry Department, the construction of a Bailey bridge over the Nambul River to connect it with the Food Park remains incomplete.

It said that the only visible sign of the construction of the bridge is the bare pillars meant for the bridge that stood for a year now.

The proposed construction of Cold Storage devised to stockpile the agricultural produces has also remained incomplete.

The Nilakuthi Food Park has been initiated to boost the morale and finance of the farmers of the state.

It is aimed to provide benefits to the people of the state as well.

It may also be recalled here that around 65 entrepreneurs have also been selected through an interview to run the food park.

The works for the entrepreneurs have remained stall due to the incomplete construction of the food park.

The Public Works and IFC Departments have apparently turned a deaf ear to repeated pleas for the early completion of the construction works, the source revealed.

Thus the farmers' hope and aspiration to be compensated for their hard works remain unfulfilled, the source said.

The source further said that sanction order for only Rs 120 Lakh has been released from the Special Plan Assistant for the financial year 2008-09 .

Rs 140.10 Lakh has also been stuck at NABARD.

Completion of the Food Park, which Chief Minister Ibobi intended by August 2009 will be far from reality, it added.

The Nilakuthi Food Park, which was started with an estimated cost of Rs 31 Crore, will need re-evaluation as the construction of the park is delayed, the source feels, saying that the price of construction materials is rising.

30 acres of land has also been acquired for the purpose after dealing with farmers of the area.

The locals of Nilakuthi have also generously given out their land for the sake of the people and the farmers in particular without any grudge, the source said.

It added that it will be wrong to despise the interest of the public on the part of the state government while appealing the government to facilitate the early completion of the Food Park in public's interest.

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