Government to provide 50% subsidy on air transportation for fruits & vegetables from NE and Himalayan states

The government has provided 50 per cent subsidy for air transportation of fruits and vegetables from Himalayan and North-Eastern states under its Operation Greens Scheme. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries said in a statement that “Under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, Operation Greens Scheme TOP to TOTAL, 50 per cent transportation subsidy is now made available for air transportation for 41 notified fruits and vegetables from North-Eastern and Himalayan States to any place in India,” on Wednesday.
Airlines will provide the transport subsidy directly to the supplier/ consignor/ consignee/ agent by way of charging only 50 per cent of the actual contracted freight charges and will claim the balance 50 per cent from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries as subsidy. The amended scheme guidelines were notified on November 2. Twenty one fruits — Mango, Banana, Guava, Kiwi, Litchi, Mousambi, Orange, Kinnow, Lime, Lemon, Papaya, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Jackfruit, Apple, Almond, Aonla, Passion fruit, Pear, Sweet Potato and Chikoo — are eligible for air transportation subsidy. That apart, 20 vegetables – French beans, Bitter Gourd, Brinjal, Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chillies (Green), Okra, Cucumber, Peas, Garlic, Onion, Potato, Tomato, Large Cardamom, Pumpkin, Ginger, Cabbage, Squash and Turmeric (dry) are also eligible. All the airports in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura from North-East, and Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh among the hilly states are eligible under the scheme.Earlier, the transportation subsidy was extended under Operation Greens Scheme for Kisan Rail Scheme with effect from October 12. Railways charge only 50 per cent of freight charges on the notified fruits and vegetables.