Representative image. Suyash Dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
हिन्दी में सारांश Summary in Hindi
- पश्चिम बंगाल ने ट्रांसपोर्ट सब्सिडी स्कीम 2026 में सड़क मार्ग को जोड़ा, दूसरे राज्यों में आलू भेजने पर सहायता।
- सली भाड़ा, जो कम हो; 12 नवंबर से 11 दिसंबर 2026 तक।
- रेल से भेजने पर 15 सितंबर से प्रति क्विंटल 100 रुपये मिल रहे हैं।
বাংলায় সারাংশ Summary in Bangla
- পশ্চিমবঙ্গ ট্রান্সপোর্ট সাবসিডি স্কিম ২০২৬-এ সড়কপথ যোগ করেছে, ভিনরাজ্যে আলু পাঠালে ভর্তুকি।
- সড়কপথে কুইন্টাল প্রতি ৫০ টাকা পর্যন্ত বা প্রকৃত খরচ, যেটি কম; ১২ নভেম্বর থেকে ১১ ডিসেম্বর ২০২৬।
- রেলপথে ১৫ সেপ্টেম্বর থেকে কুইন্টাল প্রতি ১০০ টাকা দেওয়া হচ্ছে।
Why it matters
Bengal grew a record potato crop, and prices fall when the surplus stays in the state. Paying for road transport lets more farmers and traders sell into neighbouring states, which the government expects to support local prices.
The Bengal potato subsidy now covers road transport: West Bengal will pay towards potatoes sent to other states by road, up to ₹50 a quintal or the actual transport cost, whichever is lower. The change to the state’s Transport Subsidy Scheme 2026 runs from 12 November to 11 December, according to reports by Dainik Jagran and The Wall.
Until now the potato transport subsidy covered only potatoes sent by rail, at ₹100 a quintal, from 15 September. A quintal is 100 kg.
What the Bengal potato subsidy now covers
The amended scheme applies to potatoes moved by road to Assam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and other states, both reports said. Farmers and traders who send stock out of the state can claim it, Dainik Jagran reported.
| By rail | By road | |
|---|---|---|
| Subsidy | ₹100 a quintal | Up to ₹50 a quintal, or actual cost if lower |
| Started | 15 September 2026 | 12 November 2026 |
| Road window ends | Not stated in the reports read | 11 December 2026, may be extended |
| For a 100-quintal (10-tonne) load* | ₹10,000 | Up to ₹5,000 |
The state said the 30-day window can be extended if needed. To keep payments transparent, a special online module is being added to the state’s CSMS web portal, through which the potato transport subsidy will be paid, both outlets reported. The reports did not explain the step-by-step claim process or the documents needed.

Why the state wants potatoes moved out
West Bengal potato farmers grew more than 140 lakh tonnes in the 2025-26 season, a record, The Wall reported. The subsidy is meant to stop potato prices from falling further and protect growers, according to Dainik Jagran.
The state had already stepped in once. Under a scheme it calls PPS 2026, it bought 4,75,662.32 quintals directly from farmers at a minimum support price of ₹950 a quintal and stored them in 49 cold stores, The Wall reported. The rail subsidy followed in September to move stock out of cold storage.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the road subsidy at a programme in Pursurah, Hooghly district, Dainik Jagran reported. Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman make up what The Wall called Bengal’s potato belt.

The politics of the potato belt
The Wall’s report placed the decision in a political setting. Farmers and traders had been angry about the previous Trinamool Congress government’s potato export policy since the last Lok Sabha election, it reported, and the BJP won 21 of the 25 assembly seats in Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman where potato farming is a mainstay of the economy, seats Trinamool had held five years earlier.
In Purba Bardhaman, Trinamool fell from all 16 seats in 2021 to two in 2026, and in Hooghly the BJP won 16 of 18, according to The Wall. The outlet described the West Bengal potato subsidy as the new government keeping an election promise. Its report did not include a response from Trinamool.
What it means for a truckload
Covering road transport means potatoes sent out by truck can now qualify as well. The state expects the wider scheme to ease supply pressure in local markets and help farmers get better prices, Dainik Jagran reported.
Take a hypothetical trader sending a 10-tonne truck to Odisha. That is 100 quintals, so the subsidy is up to ₹5,000 for the trip, or less if the actual transport cost is lower. The same load by rail would earn ₹10,000. The reports did not give the state’s total budget for the road subsidy.

Key dates for the potato scheme
- 2025-26 season: output above 140 lakh tonnes; potatoes bought at ₹950 a quintal under PPS 2026.
- 15 September 2026: rail transport subsidy of ₹100 a quintal starts.
- 12 November 2026: road transport added, up to ₹50 a quintal.
- 11 December 2026: road subsidy window ends unless extended.
More stories from the state are on the NewsPlainly West Bengal page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Bengal potato subsidy for road transport?
Up to ₹50 a quintal, or the actual transport cost if that is lower, for potatoes sent to other states by road.
Till when is the road subsidy available?
From 12 November to 11 December 2026, a 30-day window that the state said can be extended.
What is the rail subsidy for potatoes?
₹100 a quintal, under the Transport Subsidy Scheme 2026 started on 15 September.
