Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government will install Global Positioning System in all apple-carrying vehicles to monitor their movements and check theft cases, a minister said here on Saturday.
Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes said the state government had implemented the system for the first time in Shimla district during the last apple season on a pilot basis which proved successful.
The GPS would be installed in trucks and other vehicles carrying the fruit in all the apple-producing districts of the state to monitor trucks and check theft cases, Stokes said, while presiding over a high-level meeting for making proper arrangements in the apple season.
The government has made elaborate arrangements for smooth transportation of apples to terminal markets and timely arrangement of packing material and trucks has been made, she said.
The minister said identity cards would be issued to the drivers to facilitate growers.
She also directed the police administration to assist Excise and Taxation Department and Agricultural Produce Market Committee in implementing the new packaging laws regarding weight of apples in boxes and cartons.
She said a barricade would be set up at Tippa near Parwanoo in Solan district to check the specified weight of boxes.
Stokes said the horticulture sector has played a vital role in the economy of the state and generated annual income of "more than Rs 3200 crore".
The horticulture minister also asked the PWD to undertake maintenance of roads and make all necessary arrangements during the apple season to ensure that people do not face any difficulty.
