West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said her government will purchase 50,000 tonnes of potato this year directly from farmers to serve the requirement of ICDS project and mid-day meals in schools.
Speaking on the outcome of a meeting of the Task Force on market price, Banerjee said the farmers would also be allowed to transport two lakh tonnes of potato to other states for which Rs ten crore would be given to them as subsidy.
Cold storages in the state have also been allowed to impose Rs 1.34 per kg as fees for storing potato against Rs 1.20 taken earlier in South Bengal.
The fees for storing potato in North Bengal have also been enhanced to Rs 1.36 per kg as against the earlier Rs 1.20, she added.
