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13 Feb, 2023 News Image Recent increase in exports and in the number of Start Ups in UP shows the immense possibilities for investors: Shri Goyal.
There have been commitments to the tune of lakhs of crores to invest in Uttar Pradesh and this has been made possible due to the honest government and safe environment in the state, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal said today, while addressing the UP Global Investors Summit in Lucknow. 
 
The fast pace of progress that we can see and feel in the Global Investors Summit in Uttar Pradesh is due to the capable leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, adding that Uttar Pradesh is now on the move and no one can now stop its progress. 
 
Shri Goyal recounted the story that started way back in 2017 when UP Assembly elections were in progress. 'At the time we were given the task of making a manifesto for the party. We met people across the state and people from all sections of life wanted change and able administration. We wondered where we will get the required funds to do what was to be done. Prime Minister was clear that whatever we promised in the manifesto will have to be implemented', he said.  
 
The Minister said that at the time Home Minister Shri Amit Shahji said that we will have to do three things: to put an end to land-mafia, sand-mafia and liquor mafia. Shri Shah said that if we are able to do this, there will never be a shortage of resources in the state, Shri Goyal added. The way UP has progressed in recent years shows that an honest government, a government working for the welfare of the people, a government that does not tolerate any wrongdoing, can ensure necessary revenues and take the state to new levels of achievement, Shri Goyal said.
 
Union Commerce Minister pointed out that there have been commitments of several lakhs of crores rupees by investors at this Summit. It is the proof that the people now believe that it is now easy to invest in the state, that the state has an honest system, that law and order is in place and the investors have invested their faith in the people of the state, he said. They believe that the people of UP will, even in the future, vote for such honest government, he added. 
 
Speaking of Ease of Doing Business Ranking, Shri Goyal said that it is done across the country to assess where it is easy to do business and that India has jumped in the global ranking in the recent years. He pointed out that the Prime Minister believed in competitive and collaborative federalism and therefore there is a ranking of states also. UP now ranks at number 2 in the country among the states, he said. 
 
The progress of Start Up India in Uttar Pradesh is a matter of satisfaction, Shri Goyal said. UP was an emerging ecosystem state in 2020 but in 2021 ranking, UP is the leader in Start Up ecosystem, he pointed out. There are 8,277 Start Ups in the state and the state is on 4th number, he said. Shri Goyal wondered 'Who could have thought this possible a few years ago?' He said that he had the opportunity to speak to some young men and women who are running some of these Start Ups and could see their enthusiasm and their wonderful ideas.
 
Shri Goyal said that India signed three important Free Trade Agreements last year and this year also we were hoping to sigh two or three FTAs. They will open the doors for the breweries and wineries of UP as they will get market access, investments and technologies. 'I saw in the presentation today that there are 28 fruits and 4 flowers excluding grapes that are found in UP which can produce various kinds of wine in the state. These products will have ready markets worldwide,' he added.
 
Shri Goyal pointed out that the increase of UP’s excise has gone up three times despite reduction in rates. This is because of the honest system enforced in the state and due to breaking the back of liquor mafia. This is an example for the entire country, he concluded.The speeding up of approval of licencing in the state has helped the state attract investment and it is smooth and investor friendly, Shri Goyal said.
 
Shri Goyal said that Prime Minister has asked all states to take export as a special responsibility and in this,UP has taken a lead. One District One Product was taken seriously and now in the last 5 years the exports from UP has doubled. Telecom equipment export from UP has increased 63 times, fruits and vegetables have increased 26 times in this period, he noted. There are immense possibilities for the state to grow. 
 
This is truly a land of opportunities because we are doing reforms not because of any pressure but because of our conviction that it will take the state and country ahead in Amrit Kaal. This summit has been done at the right time to attract large amounts of investment in the state, Shri Goyal concluded.

 Source:  pib.gov.in
13 Feb, 2023 News Image An additional area of 2.51 lakh hac. covered under protected cultivation including green house structures towards horticulture promotion in eight years: Shri Narendra Singh Tomar.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today said an additional area of 2.51 lakh hac. has been covered under protected cultivation including green house structures towards horticulture promotion since inception of the MIDH scheme i.e. from 2014-15 to 2021-22. An expenditure of Rs. 2963.91 crore has been reported by the States, he said.
 
Shri Tomar said, since the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme is being implemented by State Governments, therefore, the beneficiary data is available with the States.
 
Shri Tomar laid a Statement on the table of the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question on promoting Greenhouse Farming. He said, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing the MIDH Centrally Sponsored Scheme in all States/UTs for holistic development of horticulture in the country. Under MIDH, assistance is provided for the promotion of protected cultivation including greenhouse through various interventions. Details of the components are as under:

Name of the Component

Pattern of Assistance

Maximum area per beneficiary

Green House Structure

50% of the maximum permissible cost

4000 sq. m.

Shade Net House

Walk in tunnels

Plastic Tunnels

50% of the maximum permissible cost

1000 sq. m.

Anti Bird/Anti Hail Nets

50% of the maximum permissible cost

5000 sq. m.

Plastic Mulching

50% of the maximum permissible cost

2 ha

 


 Source:  pib.gov.in
13 Feb, 2023 News Image APEDA achieves 84% percent of total export target for 2022-23 in nine months.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has achieved 84 percent of its total export target for the year 2022-23 in nine months of the current fiscal, according to the data released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S).
 
APEDA for the year 2022-23, had fixed the export target of USD 23.6 billion for the agricultural and processed food products. USD 694 billion has already been achieved in nine months of this fiscal.
 
As per the DGCI&S provisional data, the exports of agricultural and processed food products have risen 13 percent from April to December in comparison with the corresponding period of FY 2021-22.
 
The exports increased to USD 19.7 billion in April-December 2022 from USD 17.5 billion in same period last year.
 
The processed fruits and vegetables recorded a growth of 30.36 percent (April-December 2022), while fresh fruits and vegetables registered four percent growth in comparison to corresponding months of the previous year, the data pointed out.
 
Also, processed food products like cereals preparation and miscellaneous processed items reported a growth of 24.35 percent when compared to the first nine months of the previous year. Pulses have also witnessed an increase of 80.38 percent in the first nine months.
 
The export of poultry products increased by 91.70 percent and the export of other cereals recorded a growth of 13.64 percent in nine months of the current fiscal. The export of poultry products rose to USD 95 million from USD 50 million in previous year.
 
Similarly, dairy products recorded a growth of 19.45 percent as its export rose to USD 471 million in April-December 2022 from USD 395 million in the same period of the last year.
 
Speaking about the target achieved, M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, said, 'We have been engaged with all the stakeholders such as farmers, exporters, processors and Indian missions to ensure that quality and high value agricultural and processed food products are exported from the country.'
 
'Through creating a necessary eco-system of exports along with collaboration with key stakeholders in the agri-exports value chains, we are aiming to sustain the growth in India’s agricultural and processed food exports in the current fiscal as well,' Angamuthu, said.
 
The rise in the export of agricultural and processed food products is the outcome of APEDA’s various initiatives taken for the export promotion of agricultural and processed food products such as organising B2B exhibitions in different countries, exploring new potential markets through product-specific and general marketing campaigns by the active involvement of Indian Embassies.
 
APEDA has also taken several initiatives to promote products having registered geographical indications (GI) in India by organising virtual Buyer Seller Meets on agricultural and food products. 

 Source:  knnindia.co.in
13 Feb, 2023 News Image Flower rush. Bengaluru s rose exports blossom ahead of Valentine s Day.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Bengaluru’s rose exports have spiked this year with some local exporters seeing a 30 per cent increase in volume with Singapore, Dubai, and Malaysia being the primary export markets this year.
 
Umesh, proprietor of KR Flora, a local flower exporter in Bengaluru said, 'After the pandemic slump, the exports have picked up well this year. We have seen a 30 per cent increase in export volumes this year to 20,000 bunches of roses. Thailand, Dubai, Malaysia, and Singapore have been our major export markets this year.'
 
Flowering anew
Several other exporters from Bengaluru, businessline spoke to, have also noticed similar trajectories with their export volume seeing a 15-30 per cent increase. This comes as a relief to the producers as the flower markets had suffered in the last two years, due to the pandemic restrictions, rising freight costs and unseasonal rainfall.
 
In tandem with international exports, the local markets too are seeing a good performance this year. Rhea Karuturi, Co-founder of Hoovu Fresh, said, 'The prices of rose stems have spiked to Rs.17 per stem and are expected to shoot up to Rs.24 by Valentine’s Day.'
 
Additionally, the production also has been good this year, given that there weren’t any heavy, irregular rainfalls and the temperature too was favourable, she added.
 
The overall export volume for this year’s Valentine’s Day sales is, however, yet to be known. Last year, international rose export spiked 137 per cent from 2.17 lakh kg to 5.15 lakh kg and domestic exports spiked by 205 per cent from 1.03 lakh kg to 3.15 lakh kg, according to the data aggregated by Bengaluru International Airport.
 
In south India, Bengaluru and Hosur in Tamil Nadu are the two largest flower-growing regions with the Garden City being the largest exporter of cut roses in the country. 

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com
10 Feb, 2023 News Image Mfrs told to upload half yearly lab test reports on FoSCoS.
The Indian food authority has asked manufacturers including re-packers & re-labellers to upload or link mandatory six monthly lab testing reports on FoSCoS within a month from the closing date of the respective half yearly period.
 
The FBOs need to submit the half yearly reports of lab analysis two times, for April to September and October to March.
 
'The FBOs shall ensure that uploading/linking of the six monthly lab test report is done on FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System)
within one month from the closing date of respective half yearly period i.e., by 31 October for the period of April to September and by 30 April for the period of October to March,' reads the order issued by the FSSAI.
 
According to the FSSAI, to bring in transparency and ease out the filing of annual returns by the food businesses at the end of every fiscal year, the food authority has mandated that all manufacturers including re-packers & re-labellers, either upload six monthly lab testing report as per the condition of licence (from April to September and October to March) through FoSCoS or link the report from INFoLNET (Indian Food Laboratory Network) based on the analysis of a notified lab.
 
Meanwhile, the last date for uploading the test reports for the period April to September 2022 is
March 31, 2023.
 
An order regarding uploading of six monthly lab reports was issued in July 2020, but due to Covid pandemic, the matter got postponed and now FSSAI has decided to make the order operationalise from the next fiscal wherein it would be mandatory for the FBOs (Food Business Operators) to submit the half yearly lab analysis report within a month of closing of the half yearly period.
 
It is pertinent to note that under the conditions of licence, it is mandatory for the FBOs to ensure testing of relevant chemical and/or microbiological contaminants in food products in accordance with the regulations as frequently as required on the basis of historical data and risk assessment, to ensure production and delivery of safe food, through own or NABL accredited/FSSAI notified labs at least once in six months.

 Source:  fnbnews.com
10 Feb, 2023 News Image APEDA to Train 1000 FPOs to Become Direct Exporters of Agri Produce.
With Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) evolving as farm produce aggregators, the Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA) has begun to focus on capacity building for these units to assist them in carrying out direct exports.
 
'Because of the contribution and support from FPOs and FPCs (farmer producer companies), there is good momentum and development in agri & food export. They also serve as aggregators and direct sourcing points. The ability to source directly from FPOS and FPCs is also convenient for exporters. APEDA is building capacity and providing support for them to engage in direct exports,' according to M. Angamuthu, Chairman of APEDA.
 
'By March 31 of this year, we plan to train over 1,000 FPOs to become direct exporters. The RCMC (Registration cum Membership Certificate) and IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) documents will be provided so they can directly export and take advantage of all APEDA support for doing so,' he added.
 
APEDA has so far trained about 701 FPOs/FPCs in states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The increase in demand for Indian agricultural and food exports is indicative of the contribution of FPOs and FPCs. According to Angamuthu, the skilled FPOs will export a variety of goods, including millets, horticultural goods, and goods with a Geographical Indication (GI).
 
APEDA has developed a strong strategy to promote the export of millets and value-added products in order to reach a $100 million target by 2025. As part of its Millets Export Promotion Strategy, APEDA has also launched a comprehensive global campaign assessing India's potential and, as a result, has E-catalogued 30 importing countries and 21 millet-producing States. APEDA collaborates with Indian Missions to import courtiers in order to promote millets and value-added products.
 

 Source:  krishijagran.com
10 Feb, 2023 News Image All states, UTs, govt departments to integrate with national single window system by Dec: DPIIT Secy.
All the states, union territories and 32 central government departments will integrate with the National Single Window System (NSWS) by December this year, through which companies can seek all approvals and clearances for their businesses, a top official said on Thursday. So far 19 states/UTs and 27 central government departments are already onboarded, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka, the Secretary in the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) Anurag Jain said.
 
He was speaking at a joint meeting of the India-Japan business cooperation committee meeting.
 
The system is aimed at reducing duplicity of information submission to different ministries, reduce compliance burden, cut gestation period of projects, and promote ease of starting and doing business.
 
NSWS enables the identification, applying and subsequent tracking of approvals for all integrated states and central departments.
 
'Going forward ... we are targeting that by December 2023 all 36 states and UTs will be onboarded and all 32 departments of the central government will be onboarded ... We are trying to bring the whole of the government on one single screen,' Jain said.
 
He said that both the centre and state governments will be there, so that it will be truly transformational for ease of doing business in the country.
 
Seeing investments from Japan, Jain said that huge investment opportunities are there in India.
 
'Next three decades will be India's growth story ... come and be part of India's growth story,' he said.
 
Japan is one of the largest investors in India.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
10 Feb, 2023 News Image India s agricultural and processed food products exports up by 13% to USD 19.69 billion in nine months of current fiscal (2022-23) compared to the same period last year.
Continuing the trend from the previous year, the exports of agricultural and processed food products rose by 13 percent in the nine months of the current Financial Year 2022-23 (April-December) in comparison with the corresponding period of FY 2021-22, according to the provisional data released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S). The overall export of APEDA products increased to USD 19.7 billion in April-December 2022 from USD 17.5 billion over the same period of the last fiscal.
 
The initiatives taken by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) that works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India has helped the country in achieving 84 percent of its total export target for the year 2022-23 in nine months of the current fiscal.
 
For the year 2022-23, an export target of USD 23.6 billion has been fixed by APEDA for the agricultural and processed food products basket and an export of USD 19.694 billion has already been achieved in nine months of the current fiscal.
 
As per the DGCI&S provisional data, processed fruits and vegetables recorded a growth of 30.36 percent (April-December 2022), while fresh fruits and vegetables registered four percent growth in compare to corresponding months of the previous year.
 
Also, processed food products like cereals preparation and miscellaneous processed items reported a growth of 24.35 percent in compare to the first nine months of the previous year.
 
In April-December, 2021, fresh fruits were exported to the tune of USD 1078 million that increased to USD 1121 million in the corresponding months of the current fiscal. Exports of processed F&V jumped to USD 1472 million in nine months of the current fiscal from USD 1129 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
 
The export of pulses has witnessed an increase of 80.38 percent in nine months of the current fiscal in compare to the same months of the last fiscal as the export of lentils increased from USD 242 million (April-December 2021-22) to USD 436 million (April-December 2022-23).
 
Basmati Rice exports witnessed a growth of 40.26 percent in nine months of FY 2022-23 as its export increased from USD 2379 million (April-December 2021) to USD 3337 million (April-December 2022), while the export of non-Basmati rice registered a growth of 4 percent in nine months of current fiscal. Non-basmati rice export increased to USD 4663 million in nine months of the current fiscal from USD 4512 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
 
The export of poultry products increased by 91.70 percent and the export of other cereals recorded a growth of 13.64 percent in nine months of the current fiscal. The export of poultry products rose to USD 95 million in nine months of the current fiscal from USD 50 million in corresponding months of the previous year.
 
Similarly, dairy products recorded a growth of 19.45 percent as its export rose to USD 471 million in April-December 2022 from USD 395 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
 
Wheat export has registered an increase of 4 percent in nine months of the current fiscal as its export rose to USD 1508 million in April-December 2022 from USD 1452 million in April-December 2021.
 
Other cereals’ exports increased from USD 764 million in April-December 2021 to USD 869 million in April-December 2022 and the export of milled products increased from USD 188 million in April-December 2021 to USD 255 million in April-December 2022—registering a growth of 35.71 percent in the nine months.
 
On the achievement, M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, said, 'we have been engaged with all the stakeholders such as farmers, exporters, processors and Indian missions to ensure that quality and high value agricultural and processed food products are exported from the country.'
 
As per the DGCI&S data, the country’s agricultural products exports had grown by 19.92 per cent during 2021-22 to touch USD 50 billion. The growth rate is significant as it is over and above the growth of 17.66 per cent at USD 41.87 billion achieved in 2020-21 and has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges in the form of high freight rates and container shortages, etc.
 
APEDA had scripted a new history by exporting agricultural and processed food products to the tune of USD 24.8 billion in 2021-22, which was around 51 per cent of India's total agricultural goods exports of more than USD 50 billion.
 
'Through creating a necessary eco-system of exports along with collaboration with key stakeholders in the agri-exports value chains, we are aiming to sustain the growth in India’s agricultural and processed food exports in the current fiscal as well,' Angamuthu, said.
 
The rise in the export of agricultural and processed food products is the outcome of APEDA’s various initiatives taken for the export promotion of agricultural and processed food products such as organising B2B exhibitions in different countries, exploring new potential markets through product-specific and general marketing campaigns by the active involvement of Indian Embassies.
 
APEDA has also taken several initiatives to promote products having registered geographical indications (GI) in India by organising virtual Buyer Seller Meets on agricultural and food products with the United Arab Emirates and on GI products, including handicrafts with the USA.
 
In a bid to give a boost to the export of Indian wine, the APEDA facilitated participation of 10 wine exporters in the London Wine Fair held between June 7- 9, 2022.
 
APEDA recently organized a conference on the boosting export potential of natural, organic and GI-agro Products from the north-eastern states in Guwahati, Assam. The objective of the conference is to promote the export of natural, organic and GI agro-products grown in Assam and neighbouring states by creating international market linkages.
 
In collaboration with the Union Territory of Ladakh, APEDA recently organized an International Buyer Seller Meet, which aimed at boosting exports of Apricots and other agri-products from Ladakh. Eighteen entrepreneurs from UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir displayed a range of Apricots and other Agri Products. Twenty buyers from India, USA, Bangladesh, Oman and Dubai participated in this event.
 
APEDA launched an eight-day-long Mango Festival in the Kingdom of Bahrain on June 13, 2022. At the show, 34 varieties of mangoes from eastern states, including West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha, were displayed at Bahrain's Al Jazira group supermarket.
 
The mango show in Bahrain is part of APEDA’s new initiatives to explore international markets for Indian mangoes under the ‘Mango Festival 2022’. It’s the outcome of APEDA’s commitment to provide a global platform for Indian mangoes that for the time 34 varieties of mangoes from eastern states have been showcased in Bahrain. On earlier occasions, mango varieties from Southern states like Alphonso, Kesar, Banganpalli, etc were showcased in most of the global shows.
 
In order to ensure seamless quality certification of products to be exported, APEDA has recognised 220 labs across India to provide services of testing to a wide range of products and exporters.
 

India’s Export Comparative Statement: APEDA Products

Product Head

April-Dec, 2021

April-Dec, 2022

% Change (April-Dec,2022)

USD Million

Fruits & Vegetables

1078

1121

4.02

Cereal preparations & Miscellaneous processed items

2624

3263

24.35

Meat, dairy & poultry products

3061

3040

-0.68

Basmati Rice

2379

3337

40.26

Non Basmati Rice

4512

4663

3.35

Other products

3856

4270

10.74

Total

17510

19694

12.48

 


 Source:  pib.gov.in
10 Feb, 2023 News Image Basmati Exports Increased 17% to 3.2 million tonnes in April-December.
India's basmati rice exports increased by 17% in volume during the first three quarters of the current fiscal year, with exporters earning at least 20% more on average in overseas markets, where Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates purchased half of India's total shipments of the aromatic rice. 
 
In terms of value, however, the increase was 40% to $3.34 billion from $2.38 billion. Because of the depreciating rupee, the growth in Indian currency is even higher - 50.5 percent - at 26,591 crore versus 17,664 crore. In fact, basmati rice export realisation increased to $1,044 per tonne this fiscal year from $868 per tonne the previous year.
 
Prices did not rise from the average received ($1,057) from April to September, contrary to expectations, according to an official. Though traders and exporters paid record-high prices for basmati paddy this year, anticipating a significant increase, the official stated that it is a win-win situation for all stakeholders-farmers, exporters, and consumers.
 
Recalling the 2013-14 price spiral in basmati, an industry official predicted that exports would not rise as much in the next two months because contracts are being signed at an average of $1,100-1,200/tonne, though some are receiving premiums and selling at $1,350 for limited quantities.
 
In 2013-14, India exported 3.76 million tonnes of basmati worth $4.87 billion, a record high in terms of value, at an average price of $1,295 per tonne. 'That was an exceptional year because Iran purchased nearly 1.5 million tonnes of basmati from India, while the traditional top buyer Saudi Arabia imported approximately 0.8 million tonnes,' said an industry veteran who has been tracking basmati prices for the last two decades.
 
'The problems in Pakistan is redefining the basmati market in addition to India's demand and supply. We are in the twilight zone,' as per S Chandrasekaran, a foreign trade policy expert and author of a book on Basmati GI. Prices normally fall as supplies increase, but in the case of basmati, paddy prices increased by 19% in October to Rs 3,322/quintal in Haryana and then topped Rs 4,000/quintal.

 Source:  krishijagran.com
10 Feb, 2023 News Image 'Valley' of 9 lakh flowers to welcome GIS delegates in Lucknow.
With all dividers and pathways leading to the venues bedecked with over nine lakh seasonal flowering and decorative plants, a 'valley of flowers' will greet delegates participating in Global Investors Summit and G20 events in the city.
 
As many as 25 different varieties of plants, including exotic ones, worth Rs 10 crore, have been planted by Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) and Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) to leave a lasting impression on the guests.
 
The varieties of plants include Poinsettia, Bougainvillea, Dianthus, Petunia, Variegated Hibiscus, Marigold, Penji, Schizanthus, Sunflower, Dahlia, Rose, Golden Cyprus and Salvia. These plants have been bought from nurseries from across the country, including Bareilly, Pune and Nainital.
 
The pavements have been turned into flower beds. Besides, dividers have been decorated with plants on coconut-shaped flower pots. Vertical gardens have also been put up in major crossings. While LMC has planted over three lakh plants, LDA provided six lakh. Both have spent Rs 5 crore each.
 
The stretches beautified by LMC include Hazratganj to Bada Imambara, CM residence to 1090 crossing, Samtamulak crossing to Indira Gandhi Pratishthan and roads in and around Vrindavan Yojna colony.
 
LDA has decorated stretches like Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport to Shaheed Path, G20 road (Bandha road) to Janeshwar Mishra Park and Bhagidari Bhavan to Parivartan Chowk. Municipal commissioner, Inderjit Singh, said, 'These will not only present the best pictures of our city before the delegates, but also help to reduce air pollution.'
 
'The plants will be taken care of and changed as per the season to maintain the beautification permanently. For the purpose, we have also decided to develop nurseries dedicated for beautification of the city,' said Singh
 
Assistant Horticulture officer, LDA, Mohammad Imran, said that altogether around 18,000 square feet of the vertical garden have been built in major crossings and around 50,000 square feet of carpet grass has been laid in various parts of the city to welcome the participants of the events.

 Source:  timesofindia.indiatimes.com