Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol on Friday said that the state government had decided to buy fruits and vegetables directly from farmers for 8,000 residential schools and hostels run by the Social Welfare department.
"The government has decided to put an end to the practice of buying vegetables and fruits from middlemen for the Social Welfare department hostels. This will also provide market access to farmers and hence will be a permanent solution for their problem,” he told reporters.
Karjol said that the fruits and vegetables would be purchased at the prices fixed by Horticultural Producers Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society (Hopcoms). He had directed the officials to draft guidelines for this purpose.
"The members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be encouraged to buy vegetables from farmers directly for sales. The government will provide a subsidy of Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh to those willing buy by push carts in rural and urban areas respectively in this regard. Priority will be given to women,” he said.
Published 01 May 2020, 16:33 IST