Chennai: Aimed at benefitting the farming community, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today ordered setting up of an additional 20 modernised godowns and an equal number of cold storage facilities in the State at a cost of Rs 30.36 crore to the exchequer.
According to a state government release, 20 modernised godowns with a capacity of 2,000 tonnes would be established at 20 different places, each costing Rs 1.20 crore.
Jayalalithaa also issued orders to set up 20 cold storage facilities with a capacity of 25 tonnes each costing Rs 31.80 lakh.
The latest measures come against the backdrop of earlier announcements by the Tamil Nadu government to help farmers.
Soon after assuming office in May last, Jayalalithaa issued orders to set up 50 such modernised godowns at a cost of Rs 82 crore. Early this year, Jayalalithaa also issued orders to set up 18 godowns and 50 cold storage facilities,costing Rs 37.50 crore.
To help students take up courses in agriculture, Jayalalithaa issued orders to begin a two-year post graduate course on agriculture in the State Agriculture Training institute at Pudukottai. The classes would begin from this academic year, it said.
To help sugarcane industries which are under financial burden due to logistics cost and interest rates, Jayalalithaa issued orders to disburse Rs 38.13 crore to sugar mills as an advance payment which would help sugar mills pay farmers who supply sugarcane, the statement added.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 06, 2012, 15:17