Malda, March 28: The government has decided to set up a multi-crore food park here, the home town of food processing minister Sailen Sarkar.

?The biggest and the second food processing centre in the state is coming up in Malda,? said Sarkar while laying the foundation stone of a Rs 4-crore multipurpose cold storage at Adina in Gajole police station area today.

The 11,200-tonne capacity cold storage is being constructed by Adina Cooperative Society.

The minister said the Centre and the state will each bear 50 per cent of the cost of the park. A fund of Rs 6 crore has already been sanctioned.

The food park, to come up on 120 bighas, will house 18 plots and 12 big sheds.

The government will set up the infrastructure, including roads and supply of power and water.

?Various domestic and foreign food processing companies will be given land on lease. The food park has to be completed within the next financial year,? Sarkar said.

According to the minister, the Centre has recognised Malda and Murshidabad as export promotion zones for lichi and mangoes.

Sarkar said work was on for the construction of two more cold storages in the district. Malda currently has only one at Samsi.

Chairman of Adina Cooperative Society Subhendu Chowdhury said construction of the cold storage would be completed within 10 months.