Lok Sabha Question No. 2898 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-08
Subject: Cold Chain Scheme
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: Smt. Dhanorkar Pratibha Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 2898

ANSWERED ON 08 TH  AUGUST, 2024

## COLD CHAIN SCHEME

## † 2898. SMT. DHANORKAR PRATIBHA SURESH:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to start a Cold Chain Scheme for the  storage of perishable fruits and vegetables in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the action-plan prepared by the Government for the implementation of the said scheme;
- (c) whether the Government has decided to extend subsidy to farmers for running the Cold Chain Project or storage through National agencies and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the consent and cooperation is taken/ being taken from the State Governments for the storage of fruits and vegetables through Cold Chain and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)

- (a) The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing the scheme for Integrated  Cold  Chain  and  Value  Addition  Infrastructure  (Cold  Chain  scheme)  since  2008  for establishing cold chain projects under various sectors (including fruit and vegetable sector) across the country and subsequently, the scheme has been amalgamated with the Central Sector Umbrella schemeviz. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana(PMKSY) since 2017. However, supporting of cold chain projects pertaining to fruit & vegetable sector was discontinued w.e.f. 08.06.2022 under Cold Chain scheme and this sector has been shifted to Operation Greens scheme, an another component scheme of PMKSY.
- (b) MoFPI does not set up any food processing units under PMKSY on its own. The scheme is demand driven and applications / proposals are invited from eligible entities as per the extant scheme guidelines of the Cold Chain scheme through floating of Expression of Interest from time to time based on availability of funds. The proposals received are scrutinized for their eligibility and evaluated based on the criteria fixed as per the extant scheme guidelines. Merit based approvals are given to the eligible proposals based on availability of funds.
- (c) Cold  chain  projects  can  be  set  up  by  individuals  (including  farmers)  as  well  as  entity  / organization (such as FPOs/ FPCs/ NGOs/ PSUs/ Firms/ Companies, etc.). Under Cold Chain scheme, financial assistance in the form of grants-in-aid/ subsidy is provided @ 35% of eligible project cost for projects in general areas and 50% of eligible project cost for projects in difficult areas as well as for projects of SC/ST, FPOs and SHGs, subject to the maximum of  ₹ 10.00 crore per project.
- (d) MoFPI has been establishing cold chain projects under the cold chain scheme by inviting proposals  across  the  country  through  floating  Expression  of  Interests  from  time  to  time  based  on availability of funds. The consent of State Governments is not required for storage of food commodities in the cold chain projects approved by MoFPI. However, the assistance of the State Governments is required  for  obtaining  statutory  approvals  essential  for  establishing  the  projects  by  the  project implementing agencies.

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