The Prime Minister inaugurated pilot project of ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector’, for 11
Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) across 11 States.
About World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector
- Ministry: Ministry of Cooperation (MoC).
- Purpose: To establish decentralized storage facilities at PACS level, alongside other agricultural infrastructure, like, warehouses, custom hiring centers, processing units etc.
- Benefits to PACS: PACS can avail subsidies and interest subvention benefits for construction of godowns/storage facilities and setting up of other agri infrastructure.
Major implementing agencies:
- FCI (Food Corporation of India),
- CWC (Central Warehousing Corporation),
- NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation) with support of NABARD,
- NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS),
- NBCC (National Buildings Construction Corporation).
Other initiatives for augmentation of grain storage capacity
- Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007: Establishes WDRA which is mandated to establish Negotiable Warehouse Receipt (NWR) system for all commodities through a network of registered warehouses,
- e-NWRs: e-NWR were launched in 2017 by WDRA. o Warehouse Receipts are an acknowledgement in writing or in electronic form issued by a Warehouseman or his authorised representative of receipt for storage of goods not owned by warehouseman.
- Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) scheme: FOR AUGMENTING FOOD STORAGE CAPACITY THROUGH PRIVATE PARTICIPATION.
- National Policy on Handling, Storage and Transportation of Foodgrains, 2000: To minimize storage and transit losses and to introduce modern technology.
- Grameen Bhandaran Yojana: For construction, renovation and expansion of rural godowns.
- PM Kisan Sampada Yojana: For Development of cold storage facilities, specialised packaging units, warehousing facilities, etc.