(a) the number of Government cold storage facilities in the North Eastern Region, State-wise;
(b) the steps taken to enhance the functioning of cold storage facilities in Meghalaya; and
(c) the funds allocated for the same, State-wise?
(a) the number of Government cold storage facilities in the North Eastern Region, State-wise;
(b) the steps taken to enhance the functioning of cold storage facilities in Meghalaya; and
(c) the funds allocated for the same, State-wise?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) & (b): Government is implementing various schemes to enhance the cold storage facilities in the country including North-Eastern Region including Meghalaya:
Department 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 through State Governments. The component is demand/ entrepreneur-driven from among entrepreneurs, private companies, cooperatives, farmers groups etc through commercial ventures for which assistance at the rate of 35% of admissible project cost in general areas and 50% in hilly and scheduled area is available as credit linked back ended subsidy.
Besides, National Horticulture Board (NHB) is implementing a scheme namely “Capital Investment Subsidy for Construction/Expansion /Modernization of Cold Storages and Storages for Horticulture Products”. It is a demand/entrepreneur driven under which credit linked back-ended subsidy at the rate of 35% of the capital cost of the project in general areas and 50% in case of North East, hilly & scheduled areas for construction/expansion/modernization of cold storage and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of capacity above 5000 MT and up to 10000 MT is available. In case of North East region, the units with capacity above 1000 MT are also eligible for assistance.
Further, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) is implementing a Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure as one of the components of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana with the objective of reducing post-harvest losses of horticulture and non-horticulture produce and providing remunerative price to farmers for their produce. Under the scheme, Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid at the rate of 35% for general areas and 50% for North East and Himalayan States, Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) areas and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure and at the rate of 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs. 10 crore per project for setting up integrated cold chain projects including irradiation facility. Standalone cold storages are not covered under the Scheme.
The State wise distribution of cold storages in North Eastern Region including Meghalaya under these schemes is at Annexure – I.
(c): These schemes are demand/entrepreneur driven, for which financial assistance is provided as per availability of funds and resources. Under MIDH scheme, funds for various components including cold storage are allocated to States on the basis of Annual Action Plans (AAPs) received from State Governments, availability of resources and requirement of States. The details of funds earmarked by North Eastern States in their Annual Action Plan for establishment of cold storage during last three years and current year are at Annexure – II.