NEW DELHI/SHIMLA, May 23: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday and raised serious concerns over the increasing import of apples from Turkey, which he said is damaging the livelihood of domestic growers, especially in his state.
Sukhu urged the Centre to impose a universal increase in the import duty on apples to protect the interests of Indian apple farmers. “Our growers are suffering due to the influx of cheap imported apples. We need a strong protective mechanism,” he said during the meeting.
In addition to trade concerns, the Chief Minister also pushed for a revision in the borrowing limit for Himachal Pradesh and other special category states. He requested that the fiscal ceiling be raised by at least two percentage points to help the state meet its development needs.
He apprised the Finance Minister of steps taken by his government to strengthen fiscal discipline and enhance revenue, despite financial hardships. “We are committed to prudent fiscal management, but support from the Union Government is crucial,” Sukhu added.
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