Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
1. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
➢ Launch Year: 2020
➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
➢ Aim: To provide medium-long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets.
➢ 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, Start-ups, Aggregation Infrastructure Providers and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public Private Partnership Project.
➢ Financial Support: Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans.
➢ Duration: Financial Year 2020 to 2029.
➢ Disbursal: Loans will be disbursed in four years starting with sanction of Rs. 10,000 crores in the current year and Rs. 30,000 crore each in next three financial years.
➢ Moratorium Period: For repayment may vary subject to minimum of 6 months and maximum of 2 years.
➢ Interest Subvention: Loans will have interest subvention of 3% per annum up to a limit of Rs. 2 cr. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of seven years.
➢ Management: The fund will be managed and monitored through an online Management Information System (MIS) platform. It will enable all the qualified entities to apply for loan under the Fund.
➢ Participating institutions: 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)/DAC&FW.
➢ Credit Guarantee:
*Credit guarantee coverage will be available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs. 2 crores.
*The fee for this coverage will be paid by the Government. *In case of FPOs the credit guarantee may be availed from the facility created under FPO promotion scheme of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DACFW).
2. Sahakar Mitra –
Scheme on Internship Programme
➢ Launch Year: 2020
➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare
➢ Aim: To train youth for entrepreneurial roles to tap into the large-scale potential of the market.
➢ Objective: To help cooperative institutions access innovative ideas of young professionals while the interns will gain experience of working in the field to be self reliant.
➢ Beneficiaries: Professional graduates in disciplines such as Agriculture and allied areas, IT, etc
➢ Key Features:
* The scheme is an initiative by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), the cooperative sector development finance organization.
* In this Sahakar Mitra Scheme young professional from academic institutes will be working with NCDC in order to incorporate skills like leadership and entrepreneurship in them by playing the role of FPO (Farmer Producer Organisation)
* A financial support over a 4-month internship period will be provided to each intern.
3. Yuva Sahakar -
Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme
➢ Launch Year: 2019 ➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
➢ Formulated by: National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
➢ Aim: To motivate and promote the entrepreneurs of India in the Cooperative Enterprise and those individuals working for business.
➢ Beneficiaries: For candidates under the special category such as women or Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or PwD, NCDC provides 80% of the total cost of the project.
*For candidates belonging to another category that is candidates who do not come under the special class, NCDC provides 70% of the total cost of the project.
*All kinds of cooperatives in operation for at least one year are eligible.
➢ Subsidy: The scheme envisages 2% less than the applicable rate of interest on term loan for the project cost up to Rs 3 crore.
*All types of cooperatives in operation for at least one year are eligible.
➢ Loan Period:
*The period of the loan is up to 5 years with a moratorium of 2 years depending on the project involved in.
*The incentive on regular payments of repaying the loan may fetch an additional discount of 2% in the rate of interest.
➢ Funding Pattern:
* A corpus fund of Rs 1,000 crore has been created by NCDC for this purpose. The funding pattern is of two types – Category-A and Category-B where 80:20 and 70:30 combinations are followed respectively – 80% and 70% of funding will be from the scheme and 20% & 30% from the applicant. Category-A is applicable for the following:
• Co-operative societies registered in the North-East region.
• Co-operative societies registered in the area identified by NITI Aayog.
• Co-operative societies with 100% of women.
• Co-operative societies with 100% of SC or ST or PwD
• Category-B is applicable for the co-operative societies do not belong to Category-A.
4. CHC Farm Machinery App
➢ Launch Year: 2019
➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
➢ Aim: Facilitating agricultural mechanization in the country by encouraging small & marginal farmers to take machines on rental basis for agriculture practices without them having to purchase the high priced such machines.
➢ About:
*The Mobile App “CHC Farm Machinery" will allow farmers to avail custom hiring services of CHCs located in a radius of 50 km.
*The App connects the farmers with Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) in their area. with this, farmers can now get affordable access to cutting-edge technology at their doorsteps.
*The Multi-lingual Mobile App CHC Farm Machinery is available to custom service providers for registration and uploading with geo-reference photographs of agricultural machinery.
*More than 40,000 custom hiring service centres have registered on this mobile app.
➢ Modification: The App has been further modified and now has been given the acronym of “FARMS-app” (Farm Machinery Solutions-app). The revised version is more user friendly, and the scope of the app has also been enhanced
5. PM-KISAN - Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi
➢ Launch Year: 2019
➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
➢ About:
*Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
*100% Aadhar authenticated Beneficiaries. In case of beneficiaries in States of Assam, Meghalaya, J&K where Aadhaar number has not been issued to most of the citizens, Aadhaar number shall be collected for those beneficiaries where it is available and for others alternate prescribed documents can be collected for identity verification purposes. All states are implementing the scheme, except West Bengal.
➢ Aim: To supplement the financial needs of the Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income at the end of each crop cycle.
➢ Beneficiaries: All land holding eligible farmer families (subject to the prevalent exclusion criteria) are to avail of the benefits under this scheme. Exclusion Category:
*All Institutional Land holders.
*Farmer families in which one or more of its members belong to following categories – Former and present holders of:
*constitutional posts: Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of LokSabha / RajyaSabha / State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils, former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
*All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments and its field units Central or State PSEs and Attached offices /Autonomous
*Institutions under Government as well as regular employees of the Local Bodies (Excluding Multi-Tasking Staff /Class IV/Group D employees).
*All superannuated /retired pensioners whose monthly pension isRs.10,000 or more (Excluding Multi-Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of above category.
*All Persons who paid Income Tax in last assessment year.
*Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices.
➢ Benefits:
* Under the PM-KISAN scheme, all landholding farmers' families shall be provided the financial benefit of Rs. 6000 per annum per family payable in three equal instalments of Rs. 2000 each, every four months.
➢ Monitoring of the Scheme:
*For effective review and monitoring of the scheme, a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) at Central level will be set up in DAC & FW.
➢ Ambit: The Scheme initially provided income support to all Small and Marginal Farmers’ families across the country, holding cultivable land up to 2 hectares.
*Its ambit was later expanded w.e.f. 01.06.2019 to cover all farmer families in the country irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
➢ PM-KISAN Mobile App:
*The PM-KISAN Mobile App developed and designed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been launched.
*The farmers can view the status of their application, update or carry out corrections of their Aadhaar cards and also check the history of credits to their bank accounts.
➢ Similar schemes by States: • Rythu Bandhu scheme of Telangana government.
• Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income augmentation (KALIA) by Odisha
• Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana-by MP
6. Agri - Market Infrastructure Fund
➢ Launch Year: 2019
➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
➢ Aim:
*Creation of scientific storage capacity with allied facilities in rural areas to meet out various requirements of farmers for storing farm produce, processed farm produce, agricultural inputs, etc.
➢ Objectives:
*To improve marketing and supporting infrastructure in Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) as well as in regulated wholesale markets of APMC/RMC.
*To provide better farmer-consumer interface through development of GrAMs as Farmer Consumer Direct Markets.
*To facilitate aggregation of the produce in GrAMs and establish forward linkages with the secondary markets of APMCs in hub and spoke mode and also in Public Private Partnership mode.
*To modernize the marketing, processing, storage and ancillary infrastructure/logistics including better assaying facilities in 585 regulated APMC markets.
➢ Fund:
*A corpus of 2 thousand crore rupees will be created with NABARD for development and upgradation of agricultural marketing infrastructure in Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) and regulated wholesale markets.
*States can also utilise this fund for innovative integrated market infrastructure projects, including hub and spoke model and in private-public partnership mode.
➢ Rate of Interest: at 8.5%
➢ Interest Subvention: DAC&FW will provide an interest subvention of 3.0 % to enable NABARD to advance loans to State Governments /UT Administrations at concessional rate of interest.
➢ Implementation Period: The Scheme will be operational from 2018-19 to 2025-26 which includes moratorium period of 2 years.
➢ Margin: The cost of fund would include the cost of borrowing by NABARD from market and NABARD’s margin of 0.6%.
*The margin of 0.6 % p.a. will be added to current market cost of borrowing by NABARD towards covering processing, administrative, overheads, risk cost etc.
➢ Coverage:
AMIF will provide the State/UT Governments subsidized loan for their proposal for developing marketing infrastructure in 585 Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and 10,000 Grameen Agricultural Markets (GrAMs).
6. PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan)
➢ Launch Year: 2018 ➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
➢ About: These schemes are implemented at the request of the State Governments/Union Territories. PSS is implemented for procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra at MSP, whereas PDPS is implemented for oilseeds.
➢ Aim: The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018.
➢ Components: The three components outlined under the scheme is thus aimed towards enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing cost of cultivation which will enable boosting and securing farmer’s income in the long run. a) Price Support Scheme (PSS) b) Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) c) Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)
➢ Benefits:
• The proposed Scheme will minimise government intervention in procurement.
• It will help curb food grain losses due to lack of adequate storage, as farmers will be selling their produce directly to traders under the scheme.
• The present list of MSP crops covers close to 90% of the cultivated area and hence it leaves only a very small segment of producers without price benefit.
➢ Updates: According to the guidelines, components of PM-AASHA, including price support scheme and price deficiency payment, are modelled on Madhya Pradesh’s Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana for Kharif 2018.
➢ Three Components of PM-AASHA
a) Price Support Scheme (PSS)
• Implementing Agency: The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation. (The PSS is operationalised on the State governments’ request when the prices fall below the minimum support price (MSP).
• About: In Price Support Scheme (PSS), physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
• Crops Purchased: Physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
• Mode of purchase: The stocks shall be purchased by Cooperative Societies, Farmers’ Producer’s Organizations (FPO), Farmers’ Producer’s Companies, Panchayati Raj Institutions directly from farmers to eliminate possibility of middlemen taking advantage of the scheme.
• Procurement Agencies: It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts.
• Expenditure and losses: The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.
b) Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
• About: Under Price Deficiency Payment Scheme this scheme (PDPS), it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified.
• Payment: direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process. All payment will be done directly into registered bank account of the farmer. This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market. The support of central government for PDPS will be given as per norms.
c) Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)
• It has also been decided that participation of private sector in procurement operation needs to pilot so that on the basis of learnings the ambit of private participation in procurement operations may be increased.
• Private Procurement Stockist Scheme (PPSS) has been rolled out on pilot basis in selected district/APMC(s) of district involving the participation of private stockiest.
• The pilot district/selected APMC(s) of district will cover one or more crop of oilseeds for which MSP is notified.
• Since this is akin to PSS, in that in involves physical procurement of the notified commodity, it shall substitute PSS/PDPS in the pilot districts.
• The selected private agency shall procure the commodity at MSP in the notified markets during the notified period from the registered farmers in consonance with the PPSS Guidelines, whenever the prices in the market fall below the notified MSP and whenever authorized by the state/UT government to enter the market and maximum service charges up to 15% of the notified MSP will be payable.
7. Promotion of Agriculture Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue
➢ Launch Year: 2018
➢ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
➢ Launched By: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
➢ About:
• It is a Central Sector Scheme, in the State of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh & NCT of Delhi’ was launched by the Government of India for the period from 2018-19 to 2019- 20.
• Within one year of its implementation utilizing an amount of Rs. 500 crores, the happy seeder /zero tillage technology was adopted in 8 lakh hectares of land in the NorthWestern States of India.
• For distribution of in-situ crop residue management machinery to the farmers on subsidy, establishment of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of in-situ crop residue management machinery and undertaking Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities for creating awareness among farmers.
➢ Aim: To tackle air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi.
➢ Objectives:
• Protecting the environment from air pollution and preventing loss of nutrients and soil micro-organisms caused by burning of crop residue.
• Promoting in-situ management of crop residue by retention and incorporation into the soil through the use of appropriate mechanization inputs Promoting Farm Machinery Banks for custom hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery to offset the adverse economies of scale arising due to small landholding and high cost of individual ownership.
• Creating awareness among stakeholders through demonstration, capacity building activities and differentiated Information, Education and Communication strategies for effective utilization and management of crop residue.
➢ Beneficiaries:
• Respective State Governments through District Level Executive Committee (DLEC) will identify various beneficiaries and location-specific agricultural equipment depending on the farming system and will identify and select beneficiaries for establishment of Farm Machinery Bank for Custom Hiring and procurement of machines on individual ownership basis to avail the benefit in transparent and time bound manner.
• The State Nodal Department / DLEC may tie up with the Banks for credit requirements of the beneficiaries. Name and details of selected beneficiaries will be documented at district level indicating Aadhar/UID numbers and the financial assistance will be paid through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
➢ Components of the Scheme:
• Establish Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery.
• Financial Assistance @50% of the machinery/equipment to the farmers for Procurement of Agriculture Machinery and Equipment for in-situ crop residue management.
• Information, Education and Communication for awareness on in-situ crop residue management.
➢ Strategy:
• Provide financial assistance to farmers for procurement of in-situ crop residue management machinery and equipment's.
• Provide financial assistance to the Co-operative Societies of farmers, FPOs, Self-Help Groups, Registered Farmers Societies / farmers groups, Private Entrepreneurs, Group of women farmers or self-help groups for establishment of farm machinery banks for custom hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery.
• Provide financial assistance to promote use of in-situ crop residue management machinery among farmers by way of on-field and off field training and demonstrations.
• Provide financial assistance to the State Governments, KVKs, ICAR institutions, Central Government institutions, PSUs etc. for the activities to be undertaken towards Information, Education and Communication (IEC).
➢ Financial Assistance: The financial assistance for the establishment of Custom Hiring Centres of in-situ crop residue management machinery is @ 80% of the project cost.
➢ Implementing Agencies:
• At Central level: Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.
• A National Steering Committee headed by Secretary, DAC&FW will formulate the policy and give overall directions and guidance to the implementation of the scheme by the State Government and will monitor and review its progress and performance.
• At state level: Department of Agriculture of the concerned State Government. State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) chaired by Principal Secretary (Agriculture)/ Agriculture Production Commissioner overview the guidelines and implement at state level.
• The District Level Executive Committee shall be responsible for carrying forward the objectives of the scheme for project formulation, implementation, and monitoring in the districts.
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