Lok Sabha Question No. 3410 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-16
Subject: Shortage of Godown and Cold Storage
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Saikia Dilip

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3410

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH  MARCH, 2021

## SHORTAGE OF GODOWN AND COLD STORAGE

3410.  SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

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

- (a)  whether  there  is  shortage  of  godowns  and  cold  storages  in  North-Eastern  States including Assam;
- (b) if so, the details of godowns and cold storages in the country;
- (c) the action plan being formulated by the Government to increase their capacity; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  fixed  any  time  limit  in  this  regard,  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (d): A study on All India Cold-chain Infrastructure Capacity (AICIC-2015) carried out  by  National  Bank  for  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  (NABARD)  consultancy service (NABCONS) assessed a total requirement of 1.32 Lakh Metric Ton (MT) capacity of  cold  storage  for  perishable  fruits  and  vegetables  in  North  Eastern  States  including Assam. Currently, there is 2.56 Lakh MT capacity of cold storages available in the North Eastern States which includes 1.78 Lakh MT in Assam.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Mission for Integrated Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  under  which  financial  assistance  is  provided  for various  horticulture  activities  including  setting  up  of  cold  storages  for  increasing  cold storage capacity. Government assistance in the form of credit linked back ended subsidy is available at the rate of 35% of the project cost in general areas and at the rate of 50% of the project cost in hilly and scheduled areas.

Currently, 37.42 million MT capacity of cold storage has been established in the country.

Moreover, in order to promote creation of scientific storage infrastructure including other Agricultural Marketing infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India is also implementing a sub-scheme 'Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)'  of  Integrated  Scheme  for  Agricultural  Marketing  (ISAM)  across  the  country  with North  eastern  states  including  Assam.  It  is  credit  linked  scheme  wherein  back  ended capital  subsidy  @  25%  for  plain  areas  and  33.33%  for  North  East  Region,  hilly  area, Women/SC/ST promoters & Farmer Producer Organizations etc., is available based on the eligible category of beneficiary.

Since  inception  of  the  AMI  sub-scheme  which  includes  the  erstwhile  Grameen Bhandaran  Yojana  (GBY),  a  total  of  39,928  storage  infrastructure  projects  (Godowns) with storage capacity of 68.20 million MT have been assisted across the country.

Both  the  aforesaid  schemes  are  demand  driven  under  which  assistance  is provided based on the technical feasibility and financial viability of the project. Hence, no time limit has been fixed.

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