Patna. Now all cold storage in Bihar will run on solar power. With the aim of reducing electricity consumption and reducing electricity bills, efforts are being made to connect all the cold storages of Bihar with solar panels. For this, solar panel facility is being provided in all the old and new cold storages being built in 12 districts. Cold storage with solar panel cool chamber will be constructed even in areas remote from the district headquarters. The government will spend Rs 28 crore on these schemes.
Cold storage will be available to farmers at affordable rates
According to the information received from the department, new cold storages will be built in Madhubani, Nawada, Aurangabad, Banka, Saharsa, Jamui, Munger, Jehanabad, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Arwal and Shivhar in Bihar. There is already no cold storage facility in these districts. Cold storage is being established to provide cold storage to the farmers at affordable rates.
Cold storage will be constructed in two categories
The cold storages to be built in 12 districts of Bihar will be of two types. Here cold storage will be constructed in two categories: Type-1 and Type-2. The capacity of Type-1 cold storage has been fixed at five thousand tonnes and the capacity of Type-2 cold storage has been fixed at two thousand tonnes. Type 1 cold storage will store only one type of seasonal crops, while Type 2 will be designed in such a way that different commodities and products can be kept safe throughout the year.
Farmers will get subsidy
Understanding this problem, the Bihar government is giving subsidy of up to 35 percent to the farmers for making cold storage units (Type-2). If farmers want to build cold storage to save their crops from getting spoiled, then Bihar government is giving subsidy of 35 percent of the unit cost of Rs 10000 i.e. Rs 3500. This subsidy will be given through Bihar Agriculture Department, Horticulture Directorate.
Selection will be done on the basis of application
According to experts, 50 percent subsidy will be given on both cold storage and solar panels together. Selection for cold storage will be done on the basis of application. The products of remote rural areas will be preserved through solar panel cool chambers, so that the crops and other products of the farmers do not get wasted.