Aid for setting up modern ice plants

Tuticorin: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has introduced a financial assistance scheme to promote establishment of modern ice plants along the country's coast and renovation of existing plants, for production of high quality ice for preservation of fish.
Speaking here, N. Chandrasekaran, Assistant Director, MPEDA, said subsidy to the tune of Rs. 22 lakh or 25 per cent of the project cost, whichever was less, would be provided for setting up new units.

Similarly, Rs. 12 lakh or 25 per cent of the cost incurred for renovation, whichever is less, will be given to the existing units opting for modernisation.Mr. Chandrasekaran said owners of new plants who wished their unit to be covered under the scheme should furnish plan details to MPEDA field offices in advance for approval.

"Once we clear the proposal, they could start work on construction and payment of subsidy would be made after the plant got registered under `MPEDA Act and Rules'," he said.To comply with the quality parameters, the new plants should have overhead and ground-level tanks, water purification systems such as reverse osmosis, ultra violet and electronic dozer, brine tank with agitator, condenser pump, ice cans, ice crushers, ice storage space and effluent treatment unit.

Under the renovation component, the scheme provided subsidy for replacement and installation of select machineries such as cooling coil with accumulator, ice crusher, effluent treatment unit and ice can.Contact 0461-2310602 or 094423-56275.