New Delhi: The government today approved an investment of Rs 231 crore to for an additional 30 cold chain projects in the country.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) to further upscale the scheme of cold chain, value addition and preservation of infrastructure in the sector, an official statement said today.
Additional facilities for foodgrains. Reuters
The committee has approved an outlay of Rs 231 crore to assist an additional 30 cold chain projects in the country, the statement added.
“With a view to reduce the wastage, enhance shelf-life, value addition and employment generation and cold chain infrastructure has been given a major thrust during the 11th Plan,” it said.
The ministry has so far approved 49 projects, which are targeted to create an additional cold chain capacity of 2.31 lakh tonnes, 234 reefer vehicles and 34 tonnes per hour of individual quick freezing capacity.
The total project cost of the 49 projects is Rs 1072.82 crore, that involves government grant of Rs 380.41 crore and private investment of Rs 691.61 crore.
The extent of wastage of agri produce has been estimated in the range from 0.8 per cent to 18 per cent due to lack of post-harvest infrastructural facilities, it added.
India is a leading producer of fruits and vegetables, milk, meat, marine products and many other agricultural commodities in the world.
MOFPI is implementing a scheme for cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure.
The scheme provides for creation of farm proximate infrastructure in the form of minimal processing centres with facilities for weighing, sorting, grading, waxing, cleaning, controlled atmosphere, cold storage, deep freezing, mobile cooling units etc.
PTI
