Srinagar : The State Administrative Council (SAC), which met here Wednesday under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik approved the proposal of Horticulture Department for facilitating private players to establish more Controlled Atmosphere stores (CA) stores in the State by providing additional back ended subsidy support.
Private entrepreneurs shall be encouraged to establish more CA stores in the J&K State, thus increasing the withholding capacity of orchardists for ‘A” grade Apple as result of which supply of Apples can be regulated for better returns to the orchardists by providing 33% back ended subsidy (Max. upto Rs. 7.26 Crore on pro rata basis) on establishment of 5000 MT capacity CA storage facility in addition to the back-ended subsidy already available under the centrally sponsored scheme Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture.
The additional subsidy support shall be provided to 10 CA stores of at least 5000 MTs capacity each which shall be coming up in the state during two years, i.e. 2018-19 and 2020-21.
In another major decision, SAC approved the proposal for providing interest subvention for procurements of Refrigerated vans. The proposal aims to encourage private entrepreneurs to purchase refrigerated vans in the State by providing 100% interest subvention for their procurement.
The introduction of refrigerated transport system shall prove a boon for marketing of fruits, particularly the perishable ones, besides maintaining cold chain by providing. Two types of refrigerated trucks are generally used for carrying fruits to terminal markets having capacity of 9 MTs and 16 MTs costing approximately Rs 32 lakh and Rs 46 lakh, respectively.
The maximum subsidy permissible under MIDH is Rs 13 lakh per vehicle of 9 MTs capacity and above. The entrepreneur raises 70% of the loan usually at the rate of 12% per annum. 100% interest subvention on the loan raised for procurement of such vehicles less by subsidy provided under MIDH has been approved. The 100% interest subvention shall be provided for purchase of 10 Refrigerated vans including 5 Vans of 9-ton capacity and 5 Vans of 16-ton capacity, for a period of five years on the reducing balance of loan.
