Lok Sabha Question No. 4070 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Setting up of Cold Chain
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: JANAK RAM

O.I.H

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4070

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  MARCH, 2018

## SETTING UP OF COLD CHAIN

4070.      SHRI JANAK RAM:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  any  scheme  has  been  formulated  by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries to make a cold chain;
- (b) if so, whether the Government is considering to take any action in this regard;
- (c) if so, the deails thereof along with the time by which the said action is likely to be taken; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

(a) to (d): Ministry of Food Processing Industries has launched the Central Sector Scheme - Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana in May 2017 subsuming the scheme of Integrated Cold  Chain  and  Value  Addition  Infrastructure  which  was  in  implementation  since  2008. Operational guidelines of Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure have been revised on 08.03.2018 to take up additional 50 cold chain projects in the country. Expression  of  Interest  has  been  issued  on  10.03.2018  with  the  last  date  of  30.04.2018  for submission of online applications for setting up of Integrated cold chain facilities. Separate fund has been earmarked for SC/ST beneficiaries under the scheme.

Under the scheme, Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @ 35% for general areas and @ 50% for North East States, Himalayan States, ITDP areas and Islands  for  storage  and  transport  infrastructure  and  @  50%  and  75%  respectively  for  value addition  and  processing  infrastructure  subject  to  a  maximum  grant-in-aid  of  Rs.  10  crore  for setting up integrated cold chain projects including irradiation facility without any break from the farm gate to the consumer. The integrated cold chain and preservation infrastructure can be set up  by  individuals,  groups  of  entrepreneurs,  cooperative  societies,  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs), Farmer  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs),  NGOs,  Central/State  PSUs,  etc.  The  scheme  is primarily private sector driven and proposals under this scheme are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI). The scheme is available in rural & urban areas in all States/UTs.

Further, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for holistic development of horticulture which also provides assistance  for  creation  of  post-harvest  infrastructure  including  setting  up  of  pack  house, Integrated  pack  house,  pre-cooling,  staging  cold  room,  cold  storages,  controlled  atmosphere (CA)  storage,  reefer  transport,  primary/mobile  processing  units  and  setting  up  of  ripening chambers  etc.  The  components  are  demand/entrepreneur-driven  from  among  entrepreneurs, private  companies,  cooperatives,  farmers  groups  etc.  through  commercial  ventures  for  which assistance @35% of admissible project cost in general areas and @50% in hilly and schedule area is available as credit linked and back ended subsidy.

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