Govt to issue licences for cold storage and warehouse, says Khattar

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, October 1

To increase the shelf life of the farmers’ produce and also to hike their income, the state government will issue licences to establish cold storage and warehouse, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Sunday.

It was stated by the chief minister while inaugurating a block of around 50 shops at new vegetable and fruit market here.

“We are going to frame a new policy under which we would link agriculture to warehouses and cold storages. Licences for the both would be open for all and anyone can apply for licences,” Khattar said.

It would also make the economic condition of the farmers strong as his income would be hiked with this step, he added.
While addressing the gathering, Khattar counted the steps being taken by the state and the Union Government for the welfare of the farmers and said that the BJP government was the only well wisher of the farmers.

The state government would spend Rs 216 crore for the upgradation of 99 grain markets in the state to provide facilities to the farmers.

Counting the benefits of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Khattar said the prime minister had started the GST with the aim of one nation, one tax, which was a bold step for the welfare of the country.

He said it was under consideration for the last 20 years, but nobody had the courage to implement it. He said that the GST was beneficial for all the sections of the society.

He appealed to the traders to get themselves registered under the GST, even if they have income tax return file.

Meanwhile, the CM said that the state government has increased the area under horticulture to 7.58 per cent in just three years from 5 per cent earlier.

He said that to promote horticulture, the state government would develop horticulture cluster in as many as 340 villages. The horticulture would increase their income also, he claimed.

On the sideline of the programme, while interacting with media persons, when the CM was asked about the extending of time limit of implementing e-procurement by one year, he said the time lime has been extended after dialogues with commission agents and the farmers.

The commission agents also assured the government that they will not raise this issue next year and the whole process would depend on the will of the farmers, he said.

He said that Haryana has become the first state to be open defecation free in both rural and urban areas.