Wait for anti-hail net subsidy gets longer for apple growers in Himachal

Subhash Rajta

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 17

The apple growers’ hopes of receiving anti-hail net subsidy, pending since 2013, anytime soon received a major blow today. Horticulture Minister Mahender Singh, during a visit to Parala fruit mandi, said the pending amount was too big for the government to clear quickly.

“The subsidies piled up during the reign of the previous government. If you ask the current government to clear all of those, it’s not possible as the quantum is too much. Although, we have cleared many cases,” he said.

The horticulture minister also used the issue to take a political potshot at the Congress. “The horticulture minister was from Theog in the previous Congress government. So, why subsidy cases were not cleared in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016? Why is there so much pendency, where did the subsidy go?” he questioned.

For the record, the Horticulture Department offers 80 per cent subsidy on anti-hail nets to the growers. The growers spend the amount from their pocket initially and the department reimburses it as per the available budget. However, since 2013 and thereafter, many growers have not received the subsidy amount, especially in Theog block of district Shimla.

Horticulture Director JP Sharma also agreed that the pending subsidy amount was huge, running into crores of rupees. “The maximum pendency is in Theog, running into crores of rupees. Even if we use the entire allocated budget, we will not be able to clear it,” said Sharma.

“Nevertheless, we are trying to clear it on the first-come-first-served basis. We are keeping provision for the pendency every year, but it’s going to take some time, people will have to wait,” he said.

“The pendency is higher in Theog area because the cases have not been cleared as quickly as in other blocks. Also, the pendency in the cases of agriculture equipment like power tiller too is rising,” said Sohan Thakur, an orchardist from Theog block.

The minister also defended the decision to stop selling subsidised pesticides and fungicides through the department-run outlets.

As an alternative, the growers buy these things from the market and the government reimburses them partly. “We don’t want our horticulture officials to turn into shopkeepers. The job is to be present on the field and visit the orchards. This decision has ensured that,” he said.

He further assured that the government would make all necessary arrangements to ensure that the upcoming apple season runs smoothly.