Lok Sabha Question No. 4304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Evaluation of Progress of AIF
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan, Shri Anurag Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4304

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH  August, 2025

## EVALUATION OF PROGRESS OF AIF

4304. Shri Anurag Sharma: Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any measures to evaluate the progress and performance of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF); and
- (b) if so, the manner in which the Fund facilitated post-harvest management and the creation of community farm assets?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b): Yes, the Government has undertaken a mid-term evaluation of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme. Agro Economic Research Centre (AERC), Pune evaluated the scheme's progress and performance, gather beneficiary feedback, and suggest improvements in December 2023. The evaluation highlighted positive impact of the scheme in terms of increase in farmers' income, increase in agriculture storage capacity, growth  of post-harvest and  value  addition  infrastructure  for agriculture produce, generation  of  employment  and  encouraging  agriculture  entrepreneurship. The detail of the outcomes of the study are as below:
- i. 31% of the AIF units availed government subsidies also. Thus, they have been benefitted due to Convergence under AIF.
- ii. Around 85% of the total units, availability of AIF loan was the main reason for starting the unit.
- iii. On an average about 40% of the project cost of the AIF units was covered by AIF loan.
- iv. Around 70% of the units have taken loan for creating new infrastructure.
- v. The employment generated by AIF unit activities was relatively higher in peak seasons than in slack season. The average number of persons employed per unit in the peak season was found to be 11. The average was highest i.e. 27 in Rajasthan and lowest i.e. 5 in the state of Maharashtra.
- vi. Number of persons employed per unit was higher in case of agro processing units.
- vii. The total capacity created by sample AIF warehouse, cold storage units and silos is around 879 thousand MT. Also, these units have occupied total area of around 2900 thousand sq. feet.
- viii. Overall responses reveal satisfactory demand for products/services of AIF units and satisfactory income from these units.
- ix. Most  of  the  units  are  situated  in  the  rural  areas  indicating  proximity  to  the agriculture production regions and around 54% of the respondents believed that incomes of farmers have increased because of the AIF units and majority of them reported that the increase in incomes was very high and satisfactory.
- x. Around 54% of the respondents felt that overall, the farmers have benefitted due to the AIF facilities.

As on 30th June, 2025, Rs. 66,310 Crores have been sanctioned for 1,13,419 projects under AIF These sanctioned projects have mobilized an investment of Rs. 107,502 Crores in the agriculture sector. Major projects sanctioned under AIF include 30,202 custom hiring  centres,  22,827  processing  units,  15,982  warehouses,  3,703 sorting & grading units, 2,454 cold store projects, around 38,251 other kinds of postharvest management projects and viable community farm assets.

******