Team Herald
VALPOI: Most of the polyhouses in Goa, which were set up with enthusiasm have stopped functioning due to delay in government subsidy.
Statistics reveal that almost 80 per cent farmers, who has put-up polyhouses in the state have not received any subsidy for the past two years.
Initially the farmers were told that they would get a 100 per cent subsidy, of which 50 per cent would be provided by state government and 50 per cent by the central government. Besides 50 per cent subsidy would also be provided for planting materials.
Farmers have taken a loan of Rs 24 lakh from Goa State Cooperative Bank with an interest of 12 per cent per year.
Interestingly, financial problems arising from the unreleased subsidies have forced many farmers to stop activities at polyhouses.
There are around 60 polyhouses in Goa, with Sattari and Canacona taluka boasting of the maximum number of polyhouses in state. In fact Sattari has 17 polyhouses.
As many polyhouses have been closed down, farmers demanded immediate release of the subsidy within the next two or three months and have threatened to close down their polyhouses.
It is learnt that when farmers visited the zonal agriculture department or Krishi Bhavan office, to follow up of their cases, officials were often rude and did not provide information. Besides they were fed up of visiting Panjim regularly and in the process forced to neglect their farm work.
“I have put orchids in my polyhouse in my village at Velus in 2015 and had submitted the subsidy file to the Agriculture Department, but have not received subsidy even after two years,” said farmer Sufiyan Shaikh.
, who added that it is becoming difficult to pay bank interest after paying daily wages and incurring other basic expenses.
I had taken a loan of Rs 28 lakh from the bank in 2015 and completed the polyhouse in same year and had submitted my file to the government. We were supposed get Rs 14 lakhs subsidy on polyhouse, but even after two years I have not got any subsidy, Shripad Sawant said.
Through polyhouse project I earn Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000, but I have to pay the labourers, pay for fertilizers and separate water bill and electricity bill. Eventually we have no money to pay bank interest, says Imran Shaikh, farmer.
