Junagadh welcomes Rs 600-crore sop,but with mixed feelings

of three small ports,expansion of Junagadh Agriculture University,new water supply schemes and other related things,will be accommodated in the development project.

Kanubhai Domadiya,president,Junagadh Chamber of Commerce and

Industry,said,“Any development is welcome. I hope

the budget will certainly bring changes here and put Junagadh on the country’s tourism map.”

Businessman Lalji Mavani has welcomed the state government’s move. But he also expressed doubt about it,“Our past experience says that such announcements remain on paper only.”

Baghubhai Vegad,chairman,Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) yard,Keshod,said,“Let’s hope development happens in the near future.”

But Pravin Tank,president of the Junagadh city Congress unit,while terming the budgetary announcement as a mere eye wash,said that it has been done keeping JMC elections in mind. “Allocation isn’t important. It should be converted into genuine planning and development. But as we have all seen in Junagadh,re-carpeting and widening of roads was done,but they were washed away by the first spell of rains here. Such a thing should not be repeated,” Tank said.

Punja Vansh,former Congress legislator from Una,echoed Tank’s view.

But Karsan Dhadook,president of Junagadh city BJP unit,has a different opinion: “Rs 600 crore is a huge amount. It will certainly bring a drastic change in the development process here and will boost the economy of the region.”