If a graduate in engineering or allied discipline wants to start Commercial Agriculture Enterprises (CAE), he will be entitled up to a whopping Rs 50 lakh subsidy. Similar amount of subsidy will be available for women, ST and SC entrepreneurs which was earlier limited to Rs 25 lakh.
A sea change in subsidy pattern on various fronts of agriculture and allied sector is the hallmark of the new Agriculture Policy-2013. With the sole objective of achieving faster growth in agriculture and allied sectors, the policy was announced in the State Assembly on Monday.
Giving out details in the House, Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the State Government has decided to bear 50 per cent of the project cost in setting up private lift irrigation points like shallow tube wells (STW).
And in case of 10 or more STWs, the cost of electrification will be borne by the Government, which comes to Rs 30, 000 per STW, said Principal Secretary Agriculture Rangalal Jamuda. Subsidy amount for dug well, deep bore well and river lift has been scaled up from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, he informed.
Agriculture and Food Production Director R Santhanagopalan was also present during the briefing. The new agriculture policy has raised the subsidy amount for power tiller up to Rs 75,000 for 8 BHP and above, while for light weight power tillers, it will be Rs 40,000, said the Minister.
Subsidy amount for Self Propelled Reaper, Paddy Transplanter and other similar self propelled machines has been hiked.
In case of paddy reaper, 50 per cent of the cost up to Rs 80,000 will be available as subsidy amount, where as for Paddy Reaper it will be up to Rs 1 lakh.
Subsidy amount for Specialized Power Driven Equipment also has been hiked and for all types of axial flow threshers, 50 per cent subsidy with a cost up to Rs 70,000, rotary tillers up to Rs 80,000, others like ground nut diggers, potato planters etc cost up to Rs 60,000 will be borne by the Government, said the Minister.
For post harvest machineries like rubber roller sheller, mini oil mill, mini dal processing unit, maize sheller and other related machines, 75 per cent subsidy on cost limited to Rs 2 lakh will be available.
Similarly, manually operated implements will also attract more subsidies and subsidy for pump sets has been hiked in the new policy.
Earlier, it was Rs 10,000, which has been hiked up to Rs 15,000. Combined Harvestors will attract bigger subsidy amount and for Self Propelled Track or Wheel Type will get Rs 6 lakh.
Subsidy proposed in the new policy for Acid Soil Management has also been hiked and the State Government will provide higher assistance for application of paper mill sludge at an affordable price not exceeding 50 per cent of the cost. Assistance for application of gypsum will also attract similar amount of subsidy, said the Minister.