Lok Sabha Question No. 2529 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-09
Subject: Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Sukanta Majumdar, Jayadev Galla, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Bhola Singh, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Sarmistha Sethi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2529

TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH  MARCH, 2021

## AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

## 2529. DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BAAIYA):

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  proposed  to  make  available  the  Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to APMCs for augmenting their infrastructure facilities, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to integrate 1,000 more mandis with e-NAM which has brought transparency and competitiveness into the agricultural market, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether this fund helps in creating cold-chains, warehouses, silos, etc., within the vicinity of farm- gate as it is one of the causes for post harvest losses, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the role of private sector and contribution of the Government in this Scheme;
- (e) whether  processing  units  can  also  get  benefit  from  this  scheme,  if  not,  the reasons therefor;
- (f) whether any money has separately been earmarked for APMCs under AIF, if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) other steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

- (a): Yes Sir.
- (b): Yes Sir.

(c): Yes Sir. AIF provides financial support in terms of Interest Subvention and Credit Guarantee on loans for post harvest management projects like Warehouses, Cold Chains, Silos etc. and building community farming asset projects.

(d) Most of the projects under this scheme will be undertaken by agri-entrepreneurs, FPOs,  PACS,  farmers  etc.  with  the  help  of  financing  facility  by  commercial  banks, NABARD refinancing facility  and  other  NBFCs.  Government  extends  financial  support under this scheme in terms of interest subsidy & credit guarantee on the loans.

(e): Yes  Sir.  Units  to  create  Primary  processing  infrastructure  as  per  scheme guidelines are eligible under the scheme.

- (f): No Sir.

(g): Nodal  officers  for  AIF  have  been  appointed  in  31  States  /  UTs.  MoUs  with  all twelve public sector banks, eleven private sector banks and forty cooperative banks/RRBs have been signed by DAC&FW. A portal for the scheme has been created with URL https://agirinfra.dac.gov.in. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund has been converged with Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM), PM-KUSUM, GobarDhan and Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC).

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