Mohali, Oct. 8 -- The Punjab Mandi Board has transferred 12 acres of its long-unused ultra-modern fruit and vegetable market in Phase 11, Mohali, to the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) for auction under the Optimum Utilisation of Vacant Government Lands (OUVGL) Scheme - a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who have termed it "anti-farmer" and a "betrayal of public trust."

The state-of-the-art market, inaugurated on February 8, 2014, by then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, was developed on 21 acres at a cost of Rs.43.34 crore. The project featured five retail areas and 234 vending points intended to help farmers sell their produce directly to consumers. However, the facility largely remained unused ...