JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that instead of farmers, traders are taking advantage of grant up to Rs 2 crore in agro processing and export policy. Neither the farmers have any information about this nor are they getting guidance. In the absence of this, business people are taking advantage, he said.
Gehlot was speaking at the virtual inauguration of Dungarpur Agriculture College on Wednesday.
Chief minister said there is need for a campaign to educate the farmers on the advantages of this policy which was announced to get value addition for their produce. We are giving grant up to Rs 2 crore under Agro Processing and Export Policy. In this, a grant of Rs 1 crore is being given for setting up food processing units and Rs 1 crore for export units. If a farmer sets up a processing unit, he gets a grant of 2 crores. So far, a grant of Rs 132 crore has been given under this scheme. He said according to his information, the traders are taking advantage of the policy instead of farmers. Gehlot said that there will be a separate budget for agriculture in Rajasthan from next year. “After our announcement, Tamil Nadu government has presented a separate budget. Gradually, all the state governments follow this model. We have also decided to form a separate power distribution company for agriculture connections. Farmers are being given subsidised power at 90 paise per units,” said the chief minister.
