(a) whether the Government has formulated any scheme regarding approval of cold chain series based on production and availability areas, if so, the details thereof;
(b) if not, the scheme of the Government regarding setting up of cold chains in production areas; and
(c) if so, the names of various districts of Madhya Pradesh which have been included in the scheme on the basis of productivity and availability?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) & (b): Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing the Central Sector Scheme of Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure as one of the component of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana with the objective of arresting post-harvest losses of horticulture & 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 @ 35% for general areas and @ 50% for North East States, Himalayan States, ITDP areas and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure and @ 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of ?10 crore per project for setting up integrated cold chain projects including irradiation facility without any break from the farm gate to the consumer. The integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure can be set up by individuals, groups of entrepreneurs, cooperative societies, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), NGOs, Central/State PSUs, etc. The Components covered under the cold chain scheme are (a) Farm Level Infrastructure (FLI) (b) Distribution hub (DH) (c) Refrigerated vans/ refrigerated trucks/ insulated vans/mobile insulated tankers and (d) Irradiation facility. To avail financial assistance under this scheme, the applicant has to set up Farm Level Infrastructure and any one or both of the components mentioned at (b) and (c) above. Considering the functional nature of the facility, irradiation component is treated as a standalone facility for the purpose of availing grant under the scheme. However, stand-alone cold storage are not considered for financial assistance under the Scheme. The scheme is primarily private sector driven and proposals under this scheme are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI). Under the Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition Infrastructure, as on 30.06.2019, 292 cold chain projects have been approved. Out of these, 154 cold chain projects have started their commercial operations and remaining 138 are in various stages of implementation.
(c): Under the Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition Infrastructure, proposals are invited through Expression of Interest and the eligible proposals are approved by the Ministry as per the operational guidelines of the Scheme. The details of six cold chain projects being implemented in the State of Madhya Pradesh under the scheme are placed at Annexure.
*****