Govt to subsidise agri-infra projects

The central government has launched a new scheme to provide capital investment subsidy on infrastructure projects in agriculture and allied sectors as part of its efforts to encourage private sector investments.

"The agriculture infrastructure projects entitled for capital subsidy scheme includes investments in dairy, meat, fisheries and minor forest produce," Radha Singh, secretary, ministry of agriculture and co-operation, said today.

A shift from subsistence farming to enterprise farming can occur only when governments, corporates and banks enter into colloborative partnership for investing in the transfer and creation of technology fuelled by strong markets and effective demand, she added.

"Bringing in the private sector both as a competitor and as complementary to the public sector adds greater strength and value for money. Both must work complementarily to benefit farmers and their families as well as make business sense," Singh said.

Large scale investment in agriculture infrastructure projects is needed for the development of post harvest and cold chain infrastructure near to the farmers' fields, she said.