Government sanctions 30 cold chain projects with Rs 725 crore outlay

NEW DELHI: Government today sanctioned proposals for setting up 30 new cold chains in the country with a total investment of Rs 724.9 crore.

The Food Processing Ministry provides financial assistance of up to Rs 10 crore for these projects.

"These projects will help in a big way in reducing the wastage of food and the Ministry will also provide grant of Rs 274.9 crore on these projects." Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Badal said.

The total capacity of these projects will be 1.12 lakh tonnes of cold storage and 11.10 lakh litres of milk per day. It would attract an investment of another Rs 470 crore. It will also result in addition of 209 reefer or refrigerated container vehicles.

A total of 138 integrated cold chain projects were approved by the government, out of which 108 have been sanctioned so far, and remaining 30 are sanctioned today.

"56 cold chain projects have come up, while 52 remaining are in different stages of completion," Badal said.

Once all these 138 cold chain projects become operational, it will add 4.76 lakh tonnes of storage capacity and 118 lakh litres per day milk processing capacity and 810 reefer vehicles.

As per the NSEL report, there is deficit of 29 million tonnes of cold storage capacity in the country. As against the total requirement of 61 million tonnes of cold storage capacity, only 32 million tonnes have been set up so far.