Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday (May 15) announced Rs 1 Lakh crore fund for agriculture Infrastructure for farmers, saying, “Financing facility of Rs 1,00,000 crore will be provided for funding agriculture infrastructure projects at farm-gate and aggregation points. The impetus for development pf farm-gate and aggregation point, affordable and financially viable post-harvest management infrastructure.”
As she said at the beginning of her media briefing that the third tranche will focus on agriculture, fisheries, dairy, food processing, and allied activities, agri-infrastructure related points are given below:
- Lack of adequate cold chain and Post Harvest Management infrastructure in the vicinity of farm-gate causing gaps in value chains.
- Focus has been on short term crop loans while investment in long term agriculture infrastructure has often not been enough.
- Financing facility of Rs 1,00,000 crore will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate and aggregation points (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, Farmers Producer Organisations, Agriculture entrepreneurs, Start-ups, etc.)
- The impetus for development of farm-gate & aggregation point, affordable and financially viable Post Harvest Management infrastructure