Kolkata: State Panchayat and Rural Development minister Pradip Kumar Mazumdar has advised to re-evaluate the rent figures that the cold storage association was claiming.
On Monday he attended the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of a cold storage association where he also advised to extend the tenure of keeping the potatoes till December from the usual period till November. Also, the cold storage owners were advised to keep other crops after the end of the potato storage season.
According to sources, the association have published several points that they demand from the state government. Though the association demanded for a hike in the rent of the cold storages, however, it was learnt that storage rent should be based on 85 per cent capacity usage.
Further, the association showed a figure for rent followed in a few other states, stating that they were higher than Bengal’s. However, Mazumdar doubting the figure said: “Are the figures that you gave correct? I am not accusing anybody but asking to recheck as we have got different figures. Are these figures based on the same service? Are you sure that you give the same service as in Uttar Pradesh, please recheck.”
Mazumdar further raised questions about the extended limit. “If every year, the time limit is getting extended by one month, then why not make this time permanent,” the minister added. He also informed that the state government is also there to support the cold storage owners if they are following the norms and not depriving the farmers.
Meanwhile, state Agriculture minister Becharam Manna alleged that a section of the cold storage owners are not opting for insurance for the potatoes stored in the cold storages.“When any accident happens, a chaotic situation crops up. We have made a list of such cold storage owners and will take up the matter. When farmers face loss, they try to turn their liability towards the government. For such owners, we will take action and if necessary we will intervene at the time of renewal of the licences,” said Manna.