Lok Sabha Question No. 373 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-30
Subject: Storage in Rural Areas
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Alok Kumar Suman

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 373

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 th  NOVEMBER, 2021

## STORAGE IN RURAL AREAS

373.   DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  implemented  Agricultural  Marketing  Infrastructure scheme under which assistance has been provided for construction and renovation of godowns, etc. in rural areas of all States including Bihar to enhance the storage capacity for agriculture products;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  during  the  last  three  years  for creating more storage facilities in Bihar particularly in the district of Gopalganj;
- (d) whether the Government has proposed to construct sufficient storage facilities in Bihar including in Gopalganj district considering the demands of farmers;and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b): Yes  Sir.  For  creation  of  Agricultural  Marketing  infrastructure  including Scientific Storage, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India is implementing sub-scheme 'Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)' under Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) across the country including rural areas of all states including Bihar.

Under  the  scheme,  assistance  is  available  to  Individuals,  Farmers,  Group  of farmers/growers, Agri-preneurs, Registered Farmer  Produce  Organizations  (FPOs), Cooperatives, and state agencies etc. It is a credit linked scheme wherein back ended capital subsidy @ 25%(for general category) and 33.33%(for women/SC/ST and Tribal & Hilly areas) is available based on the eligible category of beneficiary.

Under  the  AMI  Scheme,  since  2001  and  up  to  30.09.2021,  a  total  of  40,985 storage infrastructure projects (Godowns) with a  capacity of 708.67 Lakh MT have been provided in the country, including 1086 projects in the State of Bihar with a capacity of 7.06 Lakh MT.

(c) to (e): During the last three years, a total of 87 storage infrastructure projects with capacity of 1.92 Lakh MT have been assisted in Bihar State under AMI Scheme. Further, since  2001,  a  total  of  72  projects  with  capacity  of  8075  MT  capacity  were  assisted  in Gopalganj District alone. However, during the last three years, there were no applicants under the scheme.

Further, a Central Sector Scheme, 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund' was launched by  the  Government  on  9 th August  2020  which  provides  interest  subvention  and  credit guarantee support for creation of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets, including storage facilities. Till date, a total of Rs. 13.8 Crore loan amount has been sanctioned for storage projects in Bihar under the above scheme.

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