In order to help maize farmers process and export their produce, the State Government has started efforts for establishment of an Agriculture Industrial Estate at Semala in Nabarangpur district.

According to information furnished in the State Assembly by Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharaty in response to a question by Congress member Naba Kishore Das, the Government had a budgetary provision of `679.69 lakh in the year 2014-15 for establishment of the estate and the Infrastructure Industrial Development Corporation (Idco) has been entrusted the work on contract basis.

Required 69.81 acres of land has already been acquired and the Agriculture Industrial Estate would come soon, the Minister said, adding that maize farmers of Nabarangpur would be particularly benefited from the project. He said the Idco has been already been given `661.82 lakh for the purpose.

The Government has made a budgetary provision of `20 lakh in the current year. Currently, turmeric and ginger are being exported from Kandhamal district through the Kandhamal Apex Spices Association for Marketing (MASAM). The Minister further informed that adoption of a State Warehouse Policy is under consideration of the State Government.

As of now, a total of 2,693 go-downs have been set up by the PACS and RMCs for preservation of 5,57,945 metric tonnes of food crops. Besides, a plan has been made to set up 846 go-downs by PACS and RMCs under the Nabard-run RIDF and ICDP schemes. It has been targeted to preserve 3,57,750 metric tonnes of food grains in these go-downs of which 88 have already been constructed. This apart, a plan has been made to construct 1993 go-downs at places lacking required number of go-downs under the Nabard’s Warehousing Infrastructure Fund (WIF) scheme.

The Minister too informed that private organisations have established a total of 28,464 food processing units in the State. A total of 138 persons have submitted applications for industrial incentives under the Government Food Processing Policy and `11.97 crore has been sanctioned for 34 proposals, the Minister said on the basis of information availed to him from the MSME Department.

A total rebate of `4.68 crore has been provided tor 45 agriculture-based units and 19 proposals are under consideration of the Government, Maharathy said.