Gramin Bhandaran Yojana
It is well known that the
small farmers do not have the economic strength to retain the produce with themselves till the market prices are favourable.
There has been a felt need in the country to provide the farming community with
facilities for scientific storage so that wastage and produce deterioration are
avoided and also to enable it to meet its credit requirement without being
compelled to sell the produce at a time when the prices are low. A network of
rural godowns will enable small farmers to enhance
their holding capacity in order to sell their produce at remunerative prices
and avoid distress sales. Accordingly, GraminBhandaran Yojana, a capital investment subsidy scheme for
construction / renovation of ruralgodowns was introduced in 2001-2002.
The main objectives of the scheme
include creation of scientific storage capacity with allied facilities in rural
areas to meet the requirements of farmers for storing farm produce, processed
farm produce and agricultural inputs; promotion of grading, standardization and
quality control of agricultural produce to improve their marketability;
prevention of distress sale immediately after harvest by providing the facility
of pledge financing and marketing credit; strengthen agricultural marketing
infrastructure in the country by paving the way for the introduction of a
national system of warehouse receipts in respect of agricultural commodities
stored in such godowns and
to reverse the declining trend of investment in agriculture sector by
encouraging private and cooperative sectors
to invest in the creation of storage infrastructure in the country.
The project for construction of rural godowns can be taken up by individuals,
farmers, groups of farmers/growers, firms, non-Government organizations (NGOs),
Self Help Groups(SHGs), companies, corporations, co-operatives, federations
and agricultural produce marketing committees in the country.
Location
Under the scheme, the entrepreneur
will be free to construct godown at any
place, as per his/her commercial judgment except that it should be outside the
limits of Municipal Corporation area. Rural godowns constructed
in the food parks promoted by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries shall
also be eligible under the scheme for assistance.
Size
Capacity of a godown shall be decided by an entrepreneur.
However, Subsidy under the scheme shall be restricted to a capacity of minimum
100 tonnes and maximum 30,000 tonnes.
Rural godowns of smaller size upto 50 tonnes capacity
will also be eligible for subsidy under the scheme as a special case based on
viability analysis. In hilly areas, ruralgodowns of smaller size upto 25 tonnes capacity
will also be eligible for subsidy.
Conditions for Scientific
Storage
Godowns built under the scheme shall be
structurally sound on account of engineering considerations and functionally
suitable to store the agricultural produce. The entrepreneur may obtain a licence to operate the godown, if
required by the State Government concerned, under the State Warehousing Act or
any other relevant laws. The rural godowns of
1,000 tonnes capacity and more should get
accreditation from Central Warehousing Cooperation (CWC).
Credit Linked Assistance
Subsidy under the scheme is linked to
institutional credit and will be available to only such projects as are
financed by commercial banks, Regional Rural Banks, state cooperative banks (SCBs), State Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development
Bank (SCARDBs), Agricultural Development Finance
Companies (ADFCs), North Eastern Development Finance
Corporation (NEDFI), Urban Cooperative Banks etc. Loan to the entrepreneurs
from banks for the construction of godowns would
carry an adequate long-term repayment period.
Assistance under the scheme shall be
available on capital cost of construction of godown including the cost of allied
facilities like boundary wall, internal road, platform, internal drainage
system, weighing, grading, packaging, quality certification, warehousing
facilities which are functionally required to operate the godown.
Pledge Loan Facility
The farmers keeping their produce in
the godown shall be eligible to avail pledge loan
on hypothecation of their produce. The terms and conditions governing pledge loans, rate of interest, period of
pledge, amount etc. will be as per the guidelines issued by RBI/NABARD and as
per normal banking practices followed by the financial institutions.
Subsidy
Rate of subsidy shall be:-
(a) 33.33% of the capital cost of the project for SC/ST entrepreneurs
and their cooperatives and in case of
projects located in North - Eastern States, hilly areas subject to a
maximum ceiling on subsidy of Rs.3.00 crores.
(b) 25% of the capital cost of the project to all categories of
farmers, agriculture graduates and cooperatives subject to a maximum ceiling on
subsidy of Rs.2.25crores.
(c) 15% of the capital cost of the project to all other categories of
individuals, companies & corporations etc., subject to a maximum ceiling on
subsidy of Rs.1.35crores.
(d) 25% of the capital cost of the project for renovation of godowns of cooperatives with assistance from
NCDC.
Capital cost of the project for the
purpose of subsidy under the scheme shall be calculated as follows:
a) For godowns up to
1000 tonnes capacity - project cost as appraised
by financing bank or actual cost or Rs.3500/- per tonne of storage capacity, whichever is
lower;
b) For godowns exceeding
1000 tonnes capacity - project cost as appraised
by bank or actual cost or Rs.1500/- per tonne of
storage capacity, whichever is lower.
Subsidy
shall be released through NABARD for projects financed by commercial,
cooperative banks and RRBs. It will be kept in the Subsidy Reserve Fund Account
of the financing bank and shall be tax free.
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