AP: Tenders To Be Issued For Multi Purpose Facility Centres In March, E- marketing Platforms For Farmers

AMARAVATI: After the Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet approved the setting up of multi purpose facility centres under the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), tenders would be called for through the reverse tendering process, as soon as the State government gets the approval from the Finance Ministry.

Special Commissioner of Agricultural Marketing PS Pradyumna said that first  it would be sent to the Judicial‌ Preview Committee and then tenders would be called for. We will complete the process in March and are planning to start work in April this year he stated. The establishment of these multi purpose facility centres are expected to be completed in phases by October 2022.

AP Cabinet headed by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier given its nod for the establishment of the multi purpose facility centres to be established in villages at a cost of Rs. 2,718 Crore.

As part of this  basic infrastructure will be established as follows: 4,277 dry storage and drying platforms at Rs 1,637.05 Crore, 60 high storage capacity warehouses for public distribution system at Rs 331.80 Crore, 1,483 collection centres (grain storage centres) at Rs 188.73 Crore, cold warehouses / cold storage warehouses, 7,950 primary processing equipment (grain processing equipment) for Rs 378.24 Crore, 10,687 assigning equipment (grain quality testing equipment) for Rs 60.86 Crore, 10,678 procurement centre equipment (equipment) to be purchased for Rs 108.92 Crore.

An e-marketing online platform will be set up with Rs 12.51 Crore for online marketing right from the storehouses.

E-marketing platform

The e-marketing platform will enable farmers to sell their produce directly without the need for brokers. Through this, every farmer will be  connected to the All India Market. They can be stored at these centres and sold whenever they want until they get a good rate. Through the e-platform, traders anywhere can get to know which produce is grown in which region, the practices followed in cultivation as per the region, the quality, quantity and all details related to the produce of the region.

Strengthening Marketing‌ System

Multipurpose Facility Centres will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 2,718.11 Crore. The state government will spend Rs 264.2 Crore for these centres, and the Centre will provide a subsidy of Rs 74 Crore. NABARD will provide Rs 2,361.1 Crore in the form of loan at one per cent interest through an interest withdrawal scheme under the Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF). Beneficiaries' will spend Rs. 18.9 Crore for specialised equipment purchased through farmer committees.

The government is procuring land from an acre to 50 cents near RBK for these centres based on the necessity and size of the centre. With the aim of strengthening the marketing system at the village level, infrastructure before and after the harvest will be made available to farmers through the website.