Agriculture Infrastructure Fund ( AIF )

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Agriculture Infra Fund (AIF) is a financing facility launched on 8th July 2020 under the visionary guidance of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, for creation of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farm assets. Under this scheme, Rs 1 lakh crore is to be disbursed by financial year 2025-26 and the interest subvention and credit guarantee assistance will be given till the year 2032-33.

The financing facility will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate & aggregation points to agri entrepreneurs, farmers, Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, Farmers Producer Organizations, Start-ups, state agencies, state sponsored Public Private partnerships, etc.

All scheduled commercial banks, scheduled cooperative banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Small Finance Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) may participate to provide this financing facility, after signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD)/DA&FW. If required, need based refinance support will be made available by NABARD to all eligible lending entities including cooperative banks and RRBs as per its policy.

The key objective of the scheme is to mobilize a medium to long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through incentives and financial support in order to improve agriculture infrastructure in the country.

The scheme covers post-harvest management projects like supply chain services including e-marketing platforms, warehouse, silos, pack-houses, assaying units, sorting & grading units, cold chain, logistics facilities, primary processing centers, ripening chambers and other viable projects for building community farming assets such as organic input production, bio stimulant production units, infrastructure for smart and precision agriculture, supply chain infrastructure for clusters of crops including exports clusters etc.

All loans up to a limit of ₹ 2 crores under this financing facility will have interest subvention of 3% per annum. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of 7 years. An applicant can put up to 25 projects in different locations and each of such projects will be eligible under the scheme for loan upto ₹ 2 crore. Under the scheme, it is mandatory for borrowers to contribute at least 10% of total project cost irrespective of available capital subsidy. Multiple projects in one location are also eligible with an overall cap of ₹2 crore. In case, one eligible entity puts up projects in different locations then all such projects will be eligible under the scheme for loan upto ₹2 crore. However, for a private sector entity, such as farmer, agri entrepreneur, start-up there will be a limit of maximum of 25 such projects. This limitation of 25 projects will not be applicable to state agencies, cooperatives, national and state federations of cooperatives, FPOs, federations of FPOs, SHGs and federation of SHGs.

The Scheme will be operational from 2020-21 to 2032-33. Loan disbursement under the scheme will complete in six years, i.e. by the end of Financial Year 2025-26.

24% of total grants – in – aid under the scheme should be utilized for SC/ST entrepreneurs (16% for SC and 8% for ST). Besides this, lending institutions would ensure adequate coverage of entrepreneurs belonging to women and other weaker segments of society may be provided loan on priority basis to ensure that benefits of implementation are inclusive and accrued to the intended beneficiaries in accordance with Government guidelines and policies.

Benefits

The scheme targets to provide following benefits:
1) Improved marketing infrastructure to allow farmers to sell directly to a larger base of consumers and hence, increase value realization for the farmers. This will improve the overall income of farmers.
2) With investments in logistics infrastructure, farmers will be able to sell in the market with reduced post-harvest losses and a smaller number of intermediaries. This further will make farmers independent and improve access to market.
3) With modern packaging and cold storage system access, farmers will be able to further decide when to sell in the market and improve realization.
4) Community farming assets for improved productivity and optimization of inputs will result in substantial savings to farmers.
5) Government will be able to direct priority sector lending in the currently unviable projects by supporting through interest subvention, incentive and credit guarantee. This will initiate the cycle of innovation and private sector investment in agriculture.
6) Due to improvements in post-harvest infrastructure, government will further be able to reduce national food wastage percentage thereby enable agriculture sector to become competitive with current global levels.
7) Central/State Government Agencies or local bodies will be able to structure viable PPP projects for attracting investment in agriculture infrastructure.
8) With Credit Guarantee, incentive and interest subvention lending institutions will be able to lend with a lower risk. This scheme will help to enlarge their customer base and diversification of portfolio.
9) Refinance facility will enable larger role for cooperative banks and RRBs.

Eligibility

1) Participating lending institutions will decide criteria for selection of eligible borrower as per their own policy, keeping in mind the viability of the projects.
2) 24% of total grants – in – aid under the scheme should be utilized for SC/ST entrepreneurs (16% for SC and 8% for ST). Besides this, lending institutions would ensure adequate coverage of entrepreneurs belonging to women and other weaker segments of society may be provided loan on priority basis

Exclusions

1) PSUs are directly not eligible under the scheme, but projects sponsored by them under PPP are eligible.

myScheme, PIB

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