TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: With the objective of maintaining the price of the 50gm pao at Rs 3 for the next five years, the State government has introduced the 'Goa Traditional Bakers (poders) Subsidy Scheme' which will be launched on June 23, but will be effective from October 2012. The total liability for the scheme will be an estimated Rs 5 crore annually.
The scheme, to be implemented through the Goa Handicrafts, Rural & Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Ltd (GHRSSIDC) will provide to the existing Goan traditional bakers who have been baking ‘pao’, ‘undho’, ‘poie’ and ‘kakon’. There are over 700 traditional bakers in the State.
Announcing this at the press conference Monday, GHRSSIDC Chairman Lavoo Mamledar said that the scheme, as announced in the State Budget, is being formulated to maintain the existing price of pao for next five years.
Mamledar said the government may review the price after five years. He also said, that the traditional bakers will not get benefit under the Social Welfare Department drafted scheme for traditional occupants.
As per the scheme, the bakers have been divided into three categories based on their production capacity and subsidy will be provided for purchase of maida required for production of bread depending on the category the bakers belong to. Under this scheme, the government will provide a cash subsidy of 4 per kg for the purchase of the first 50kg of maida and 2 for the purchase of up to 100 kg of maida. For above 100 kg purchase, the government will pay 1 per kg. There will be no subsidy for maida beyond the consumption of 150 kgs per day.
GHRSSIDC Managing director Levinson Martin said the subsidy would be provided if the maida is purchased from Goa Bagaytdar Society or marketing federations.
The government will disburse the subsidy on a quarterly basis and bills will have to be submitted for the relevant quarter, Martins said adding ‘the total estimated budget is around Rs 5 crore annually’.
Goan bakers engaged in the production of the traditional bread for the last 20 years will be eligible for availing of the financial assistance under this scheme.
As per the scheme, the government will provide a cash subsidy of 4 per kg for the purchase of the first 50kg of maida and 2 for the purchase of up to 100 kg of maida