Operation Green Scheme – ‘TOPS’ and Budget 2021

The Government of India decided to include 22 more perishable products under operation green scheme - TOPS in this year's budget . To boost value addition in agriculture and allied products and their exports, Finance Minister of india in Budget 2021 proposed to increase the scope of ‘Operation Green Scheme’ that is presently applicable to tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (TOPS), to be enlarged to include 22 perishable products.

Government of India in July , 2020 announced that farmers and processors can now get the benefit of 50 per cent subsidy on storage and transportation of 18 more fruits and vegetables from surplus production areas to major consumption centres under the existing 'Operation Greens'. The objective of intervention is to protect the growers of fruits and vegetables from making distress sale due to the lockdown and reduce the post-harvest losses.

About Operation Greens (TOP to TOTAL) Scheme was approved on 10 June last year and the Scheme's guidelines was notified on 11th June 2020. Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has extended the Operation Greens Scheme from Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) to all fruits & vegetables (TOTAL) for a period of six months on pilot basis as part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan in June , 2020.

The salient features of the guidelines are as below:

Objective:-

The objective of intervention is to protect the growers of fruits and vegetables from making distress sale due to lockdown and reduce the post -harvest losses.

Eligible Crops:-

Fruits- Mango, Banana, Guava, Kiwi, Lichi, Papaya, Citrus, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Jackfruit; Vegetables: - French beans, Bitter Gourd, Brinjal, Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chillies (Green), Okra, Onion, Potato and Tomato. Any other fruit/vegetable can be added in future on the basis of recommendation by Ministry of Agriculture or State Government (List of eligible crops, selected surplus production clusters and trigger price for intervention under the scheme.

The Operation Greens, being implemented by the Food Processing Ministry, has been extended from tomato, onion and potato (TOP) crops to other notified horticulture crops for providing subsidy for their storage and transportation from surplus production areas to major consumption centres.

Under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, Operation Greens Scheme TOP to TOTAL, 50% 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. Airlines will provide the transport subsidy directly to the supplier/consignor/consignee/ agent by way of charging only 50% of the actual contracted freight charges and will claim the balance 50% from MoFPI as subsidy. The scheme was approved and the amended Scheme Guidelines were notified on 02.11.2020.

In relaxation of other conditions for Operation Greens – TOP to TOTAL Scheme for transportation through Airlines from eligible airports, all consignment of notified fruits and vegetables irrespective of quantity and price would be eligible for 50% freight subsidy.

The transportation subsidy was earlier extended under Operation Greens Scheme for Kisan Rail Scheme with effect from 12.10.2020. Railways charge only 50% of freight charges on the notified fruits and vegetables.

Eligible Crops: –

Fruits (21) - Mango, Banana, Guava, Kiwi, Litchi, Mousambi, Orange, Kinnow, Lime, Lemon, Papaya, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Jackfruit, Apple, Almond, Aonla, Passion fruit, Pear, Sweet Potato, Chikoo;

Vegetables (20): - French beans, Bitter Gourd, Brinjal, Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chillies (Green), Okra, Cucumber, Peas, Garlic, Onion, Potato, Tomato, Large Cardamon, Pumpkin, Ginger, Cabbage, Squash and Turmeric (dry)

Eligible airports: -

All the airports in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim (Bagdogra), and Tripura from North-East, and Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh among the Hilly States.