Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

Context

• Strengthening APMCS through Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme – Government

About

• The Union Cabinet in July 2020 has approved a new pan India Central Sector Scheme called Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
• The scheme shall provide a medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
• The duration of the Scheme shall be from FY2020 to FY2032 (10 years).
• Moratorium for repayment under this financing facility may vary subject to minimum of 6 months and maximum of 2 years.

Intended beneficiaries

• Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Marketing Cooperative Societies, Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Group (SHG), Farmers, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Startups, Aggregation Infrastructure Providers and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public Private Partnership Project.

The following community farming assets projects are eligible under the scheme:-

• Organic inputs production
• Bio stimulant production units
• Infrastructure for smart and precision agriculture.
• Projects identified for providing supply chain infrastructure for clusters of crops including export clusters.
• Projects promoted by Central/State/Local Governments or their agencies under PPP for building community farming assets or post-harvest management projects.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1743362