The State Government has requested Kolkata-based LMJ International to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for implementation of the proposed terminal market complex at Sambalpur.
LMJ International has been selected as the private partner through a global tendering process for implementation of the market complex on a public private partnership (PPP) mode.
Meanwhile, 60 acres of land have been identified at Nildunguri near Sambalpur on NH-6 for the project. Apart from land, the State Government will provide infrastructural support to the project, official sources said.
A blue print of the project prepared by IL&FS along with the development partner LMJ International was reviewed at a high level meeting here recently.
The Government has asked the company to expedite the process like formation of SPV, finalisation of operation management and development action (OMDA) plan by end of January, 2014.
The proposed modern terminal market has two-fold objectives of ensuring food security and providing remunerative prices to farmers which would encourage food production, the sources said.
With assured market linkage to the farmers, the project will promote production of fruits, vegetables, flowers, aromatics and herbs. It will also promote other commodities like oil seeds, grains, pulses and poultry products. The core facilities to be provided in the projects include washing, grading, sorting, weighing, and packaging.
It will also provide the facility for collection of products and primary value addition. The catchment area of the project covers 11 western Odisha districts of Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Sonepur, Balangir, Angul, Boudh, Sundargarh and Nuapada. The project cost has been estimated at around `74 crore. Meanwhile, the project has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture.
It has been decided to expedite the process for handing over the land to Horticulture department. LMJ International has been asked to from the SPV for implementation of the project and submit the detailed action plan.
The project will be implemented under the supervision of the Agriculture department. It has been targeted to ground the project within 18 months.