Parliament Question: Establishment of Decentralised Cold Chain Infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6254 ANSWERED ON 02ND APRIL 2026 ESTABLISHMENT OF DECENTRALISED COLD CHAIN INFRASTRUCTURE IN UTTAR PRADESH

6254. MS IQRA CHOUDHARY:

SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ:

ADV PRIYA SAROJ:

Will the Minister of Food Processing Industries be pleased to state:

(a) the number and value of long-term and short-term credit facilities sanctioned, approved and actually disbursed through NABARD and the other Central financial channels during the last five years for the establishment of decentralised cold chain infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh, district-wise;

(b) the number of projects sanctioned, completed, operational versus those remain incomplete and non-functional along with the reasons therefore for Uttar Pradesh, district-wise;

(c) the coverage of cold chain facilities in Uttar Pradesh and the areas that remain without any decentralised cold storage support despite being major horticulture-producing areas, district-wise;

(d) whether any interest subvention, credit guarantee or capital subsidy component remains underutilised and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the measurable impact of these credit interventions on the reduction of post-harvest losses and price realisation for farmers? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)

(a) to (e) : As on 31.12.2025, 26 projects have been approved in the State of Uttar Pradesh under the component scheme- Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure(Cold Chain scheme) of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY). Out of 26 projects, 20 projects have been completed and started commercial operations in the State of Uttar Pradesh. District-wise distribution of projects approved in the State of Uttar Pradesh under Cold Chain scheme is provided at Annexure.

The reasons for delay in completion of ongoing cold chain projects are (i) delay in obtaining statutory approvals for power connection, water supply, Consent to Establish, Consent to Operate, FSSAI license, etc. and (ii) delay in disbursement of term loan to the project by the bank concerned within stipulated time.Further, standalone cold storage projects are not supported under the Cold Chain component of PMKSY.

No project has been sanctioned by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

(NABARD) for the establishment of decentralised cold chain infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh during last five years under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)/ Warehouse Infrastructure Fund (WIF)/Food Processing Fund (FPF).

To strengthen agriculture infrastructure in the country, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) of ₹ 1.00 lakh crore. Under AIF, there is provision for collateral free term loans up to ₹ 2.00 crore and interest subvention of 3% on the term loan availed for creation of post-harvest infrastructure including establishment of cold storages and transportation facilities, which may lead to reduction in post-harvest losses thereby augmenting farmers income.

*****ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6254 ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026 REGARDING “ESTABLISHMENT OF DECENTRALISED COLD CHAIN INFRASTRUCTURE IN UTTAR PRADESH” District-wise distribution of approved/ completed & operational projects under Cold Chain scheme as on 31.12.2025 in the State of Uttar Pradesh District No. of No. of Approved Completed Projects Projects Agra 2 2 Allahabad 1 1 Amroha 1 1 Aligarh 1 0 Balia 1 0 Auraiya 1 1 Badaun 1 1 Bulandshar 1 1 Etawah 1 0 Farukhabad 1 1 Gautam Budh Nagar 3 3 Gorakhpur 1 1 Hapur 2 2 Jalaun 2 1 Kanpur Dehat 1 1 Lucknow 1 0 Mathura 2 1 Shahjahanpur 1 1 Unnao 2 2 Total 26 20 ****