Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) with the guidance of MoFPI has been envisaged as a comprehensive package that will result in the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gates to retail outlets in food processing. It will not only provide a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in the country but also improve the capacity of food processing units, which help in providing better returns to farmers and creating employment opportunities, especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.
However, standalone cold storages are not supported under PMKSY. The state-wise number of storages approved for captive use under PMKSY since inception in 2017 is in Annexure-1. Further, under the Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition Infrastructure, a sub-scheme of PMKSY, 06 projects have been approved in the state of Telangana in the last five years. The details district–wise are in Annexure-2.
As informed by the Food Corporation of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to upgrade and modernize the storage facilities, the Government of India approved an Action Plan for the construction of steel silos on PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode in the country. Under this plan, Silos with a capacity of 24.25LMT at various locations throughout the country are under implementation.
Out of which, silos with a capacity of 17.75LMT have been completed,d and the remaining 6.5LMT are under various stages of development. In addition to the above, silos of 5.5LMT capacity at 7 locations have already been constructed and put to use in 2007-09 under the circuit base model. Further, under phase –I of the Hub & Spoke model Silos of 10.125 LMT at 14 locations on FCI-owned land awarded and 24.75 LMT at 66 locations on private land have been awarded and are in the development stage.
As per the data of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the status of Grain Silos construction as of 30.11.2024 is placed in Annexure-3. MoFPI has been implementing the Central Sector Umbrella Scheme – PMKSY since 2016-17 to create post-harvest infrastructure and processing facilities to boost the overall development of the food processing sector, including a reduction in post-harvest losses.
The component schemes under PMKSY provide credit-linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing/preservation infrastructure, which, inter-alia, includes cold storages and refrigerated vehicles to minimize post-harvest losses.
As per the Evaluation Study conducted and submitted by NABARD Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. (NABCONS) in 2020 on “Impact of Units Implemented under Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure assisted by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
It was highlighted that due to interventions of the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, while all sectors had shown some decrease in wastage, the Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy, and Fisheries sectors had shown a significant reduction in wastages.
Apart from MoFPI, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has also launched the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme in July 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package to improve post-harvest infrastructure and create community farming assets. The AIF Scheme facilitates the sanction of medium to long-term loans by Banks and other lending institutions for the setting up of cold storage facilities, warehouses, and processing units, aimed at reducing crop wastage and enhancing value addition.