Delay of solar cold storage projects in Odisha brings ire of farmers

While both land and funds have been allocated, negligence of officials apart from frequent transfer of BDOs are believed to have caused delay.
Image for representational purpose only (File photo| EPS)
Image for representational purpose only (File photo| EPS)

JAGATSINGHPUR: Resentment is brewing among farmers of Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack districts due to delay in setting up of a cold storage at Uttarsashan panchayat under Biridi block here.

While both land and funds have been allocated, negligence of officials apart from frequent transfer of BDOs are believed to have caused to the delay. To set up the cold storage, funds were provided from Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMGY) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) but have been lying idle.

Uttarsasan sarpanch Silipa Sahoo had taken the initiative to set up the cold storage under PMAGY in 2017 as there was no such facility or market linkage in Jagatsinghpur and farmers were resorting to distress sale of vegetables and fruits. Moreover, Potato Mission, which was launched in 2014 in the district, had failed due to lack of storage provision and consequent losses by farmers. The latter had also begun to lose interest in growing the vegetable.

To address the issue, the district administration allotted 25 decimal land at Barabakhara in Uttarsasan for installation of  the solar chamber and an electric cold chamber of 30 tonne capacity at a cost of `80 lakh to benefit farmers. But no further headway has been made.

Assistant Director of Horticulture (ADH) Mihir Chandra Samantray stated that while the solar cold storage project has been approved by the department and subsidy under NHM has been provided, tenders have not been floated by the BDO.

As the project aims to facilitate better pricing of agricultural produce with proper storage and sale at the right time, it had given hope to farmers of Uttarsasan, Sankhpur, Batimira, Alando, Daradagram, Hajpur and other panchayats of Biridi block and those of Bailaisi Mouza of Cuttack district who grow a variety of vegetables on Devi river bed near Daleighai.

In Biridi, 65 per cent of the population depends on agriculture. Local farmers who cultivate potato, cauliflower, capsicum, beans, onion, tomato, brinjal, chillies and other vegetables will benefit from the cold storage chamber. Once installed, it will be the first such facility in the State.

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