Bhubaneswar, March 29: Odisha government has planned to set up 1,000 solar cold rooms at Panchayat level in the current year, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Minister Rananendra Pratap Swain told the state Assembly on Wednesday
Replying to a question of Suresh Kumar Routray, (Cong) the Minister said these solar cold rooms would help farmers preserve their fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products.
He said the solar cold rooms would be set up with the cooperation of the Panchayati raj and Drinking Water, Women Self Help Groups and farmers organisations.
The government, Swain said, is providing 55 to 70 percent subsidy to agriculture entrepreneurs for setting up cold rooms for the short term preservation of fruits, vegetables and providing 50 percent subsidy to small farmers to set up low powered cold rooms .
The minister said at present 97 cold storages in the state are defunct while 36 are functioning in various parts of the state.He said it is not financially viable to revive the defunct cold storages as
the money required for reviving the defunct cold storages is equal to setting up new ones.
The government, he said , is providing a 70 percent subsidy to set up 100 kg capacity Subjee coolers to small and marginal farmers from the current year to preserve their fruits, vegetables, flowers and help them market their produce in the post harvest period.
The Minister said the government is also providing incentives of maximum Rs 220 lakh in general areas and Rs 280 lakh in ST areas to entrepreneurs to set up private cold storage.
