Cold stores to get 50 pc subsidy on power tariff

A proposal to this effect was approved by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department on Monday.
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BHUBANESWAR : With Odisha constantly grappling with shortage of potato, onion, tomato, other vegetables and fruits, the state government has decided to promote cold storages by extending the subsidy on electricity tariff for three more years.

A proposal to this effect was approved by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department on Monday.

The government had launched the State Potato Mission in 2015 with the provision of providing 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariff per annum to the functional cold stores for storage of agricultural and horticultural produce.

Sources said, as approved, 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariff per annum will be provided to the functional cold stores from 2024-25 to 2026-27. The cold stores in both public and private sectors will be entitled to get the subsidy. However, only cold stores of 500 tonne and above will be eligible for the subsidy.

As per the criteria fixed by the Agriculture department, the units seeking power tariff subsidy must be temperature-controlled storages where flowers, fruits, vegetables and other agricultural and horticultural produces can be kept fresh or frozen until it is needed. Those involved in compost-making and button mushroom production activity are also eligible for subsidy under the potato mission.

The cold stores utilising their installed capacity by storing potato both the vegetable and sprouts or by effecting a contract/agreement or MoU with farmers interest groups (FIGs)/farmer producer organisations (FPOS) and individual farmers will also be eligible.

“The cold store owner will be eligible for tariff subsidy only if he/she has paid all the electricity dues including the arrear amount if any. They will provide storage facilities to farmers/FPOs of Odisha or else payment of subsidy will be stopped immediately and the recovery process will be initiated,” the notification stated.

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