Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment KV Singh Deo Monday emphasised on setting up of climate-friendly cold storage in the state because of changing weather patterns and temperatures. Deo discussed the matter while holding a meeting with representatives of various cold storage service providers here. “To address climate change issues, the government is of the view that cold storage facilities should be climate resilient,” he said. “The cold storage facility will be set up in all districts and subdivisions of the state for storage of fruits, vegetables, milk and related products,” the minister said. He said, “The cold storage will be solar-powered as Prime Minister Modi emphasised on the use of renewable energy and solar energy for sustainable development.” Deo discussed with experts and providers about the estimated cost for the installation of cold storage facilities in the state and informed them the government is providing 70 per cent subsidy for the same.
The Minister advised the officials of the Department of Cooperatives, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and Department of Energy to visit the places where the facility is already functional. Principal Secretary Arabinda Padhee said that cold storage facility will help in increasing farmers’ income and control in price rise of commodities. Notably, in July, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, during a meeting with different farmers’ organisations, had told about state government’s plan to open one cold storage in each sub-division of the state as a first step. Since the farmers’ major problem was storing their perishable produce, this would be helpful for them, he said. “The government is preparing a policy for the prosperity of the farmers. The government’s help from cultivation to marketing of the farm produce will be covered under it,” the CM said. “Besides, the deserving farmers, who have not been covered under PM Kisan Yojana, would be brought under the Central scheme, he said adding that the government is drawing up a policy in this regard, he added.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP