VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said warehouses and cold storages should be constructed in a way not only to meet the current requirements but also future needs and directed the officials concerned to take it into consideration while preparing proposals for the same.
Addressing a high-level review meeting on warehousing and cold storages on Friday, he stressed the need for IQFs (Individual Quick Freezing) units for aqua products. He said agriculture produce should primarily be processed at the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and in the second phase, Food Processing Units will come into play.
Asking the officials to focus on creating cold storage facilities in every mandal, he also instructed them to focus on setting up Janata Bazaars by next year. He said to empower women in the State, the government had introduced YSR Cheyutha scheme and shortly will introduce YSR Aasara. MoUs were also signed with Amul and other companies in that regard. He also asked them to initiate measures for setting up warehouses and cold storage units in the tribal areas. Officials were directed to come up with a comprehensive action plan considering all these aspects and finalise the action plans for fund-raising for the same.
Earlier, during a video conference with the Chief Minister, PM Kisan CEO and Director of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Mission Vivek Agarwal apprised the Chief Minister about the salient features of the newly-formed AIF.He lauded the vision of the Chief Minister and his various initiatives.
The Chief Minister explained to him that the State has 10,641 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), which will solve all the issues of farmers besides providing quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. The Janata Bazaars will come up soon.
Initial processing and grading would be done at the godowns at village level and perishable goods like tomato, banana, chini, mangao and others, purchased from farmers, would be sent for food processing. Food processing units and clusters would be formed at the constituency level. “We will buy the produce from farmers and value addition will be done. We hope that the Central schemes will be useful for our line of approach,” he said. Vivek Agarwal promised all cooperation to the State. Special Chief Secretary Poonam Malkondiah was present.