The Odisha government has earmarked Rs 252 crore for the construction of cold storage facilities across 58 subdivisions over the next five years.
Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo made the announcement in the Assembly, emphasizing the initiative’s importance for agricultural sustainability and farmer welfare.
The project will be executed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. So far, 13 applications have been received via the Go Sugam portal, with three proposals — from Puri, Jajpur, and Subarnapur districts — already granted “Go Ahead” clearance.
During the session, Singh Deo took a direct swipe at BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain, questioning why cold storage infrastructure wasn’t developed during his tenure as Agriculture Minister. He also took a dig at the BJD, questioning their criticism despite the BJP government having supplied over 2 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizer to farmers during its tenure.
Singh Deo further alleged that artificial agitation was being created over fertilizer distribution and challenged legislators to visit protest sites and conduct reviews. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing cold storage units in every subdivision to support farmers and reduce post-harvest losses.
