Shimla, Oct 10: The Centre has decided to suitably amend the "warehouse scheme" for construction of godowns for agricultural produce to allow the benefit of 25 per cent capital subsidy to godowns of 25 mt capacity. "We have accepted the request of the Himachal Pradesh government to reduce the minimum capacity norm from 100 mt to 25 mt as construction of big godowns was not feasible in the difficult hilly terrain," Union Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh said here yesterday.

Under the scheme, the government provides 25 per cent subsidy, subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh for construction of godowns by farmers but the minimum capacity of the godown has to be 100 mt. Due to this condition, no proposal was submitted to the government for construction of godown by farmers or traders from Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister brought the issue to the notice of the Union Agriculture Minister during his visit to Shimla yesterday.

The Singh also said that a provision would be made to extend the benefit of 25 per cent subsidy for construction of gowdowns with 25 mt capacity.
Bureau Report