Bhubaneswar: A memorandum of understanding was signed yesterday in the presence of Minister, Cooperation & R.D. Sri Bikram Keshari Arukha and Secretary, Cooperation Sri Bishnupada Sethi between Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS), Odisha State Agriculture Marketing Board (OSAMB) and NABARD Consultancy Services Private Limited (NABCONS) for construction of 544 rural godowns which will be owned by 544 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large Adivasi Multi-purpose Co-operative Societies (LMPCS) of our state.
These rural godowns will be owned by 544 Primary Agricultural Co-operative Societies (PACS) and Large Adivasi Multi-purpose Co-operative Societies (LMPCS) working under Co-operation dept. These will be utilised to store paddy purchased from farmers at PACS & LMPCS level. An amount of 83 Crores has been earmarked in the State budget in 2013-14 financial year for the construction of these godowns. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) will provide further financial assistance.
Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) shall identify sites for construction of 544 godowns. RCS shall make available encumbrance-free land with approach road well in advance and hand over the sites to the Executive Agency. RCS will also ensure release of funds to the Executing Agency. Odisha State Agriculture Marketing Board (OSAMB) will be the Executing Agency. It will bear the operational responsibility and execute the project.
NABARD Consultancy Services Private Limited (NABCONS) will provide project management consultancy services. It will ensure architectural planning and designing of godowns and on-site monitoring of the works. Project management consultancy fees will be 7% of the actual project cost. The project management consultancy work for 544 godowns would be taken up in four phases, The 1st phase will comprise of 124 godowns.
NABARD Consultancy Services Private Limited (NABCONS) have prepared 124 DPRs for construction of these 124 godowns which have been approved by the Government. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th phases will be taken up subsequently. All the phases will be taken up for implementation within a period of 24 months.
The constructions of these 544 rural godowns will be finished in 2014-15 and the entire expenditure will be 168 Crores. These will have a total capacity of storing 3 lakhs 36 thousand 8 hundred metric tonnes of paddy which would prove to be of immense benefit for the farmers as well as the State.