Chandigarh: Punjab has been recognized as "The Best Performing State" under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme for the year 2023-24. The award was presented to Punjab by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chauhan during the AIF Excellence Awards Ceremony held at the National Agriculture Science Complex, New Delhi, by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
Horticulture Minister S. Chetan Singh Jouramajra congratulated the department officials and the entire AIF team, applauding their efforts for elevating the scheme to new heights.
The coveted award was handed over to Horticulture Minister S. Chetan Singh Jouramajra at his office today by Director Horticulture Mrs. Shailender Kaur IFS, Joint Director Mr. Tajinder Bajwa, Deputy Director Harpreet Singh, and AIF Team Leader Ms. Ravdeep Kaur.
The Cabinet Minister highlighted Punjab's remarkable progress, noting that in FY 2021-22, only 164 projects were approved. However, with the introduction of strategic planning and a dedicated Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) within the Department of Horticulture (State Nodal Agency for AIF), the numbers soared to new high. By the financial year 2022-23, the state had sanctioned 3,480 projects, which nearly quadrupled to 12,064 by the financial year 2023-24. As of August 2024, the total number of sanctioned projects stands at 16,680.
Notably, these projects represent a substantial investment of ₹6,626 crores aimed at bolstering agricultural infrastructure. Of this, participating banks have approved term loans totaling ₹3,941 crores, signaling a robust financial commitment to improving agriculture across Punjab. Major categories of projects established through the scheme in Punjab include custom hiring centers, primary processing centers, sorting-grading units, cold stores, infrastructure for post-harvest management, solar pumps and solar panels on existing infrastructure, etc.
The scheme has been actively promoted and advanced in Punjab under the leadership of S. Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Minister of Horticulture, with strategic support from Sh. K.A.P Sinha, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab. Remarkably, over 70% of the beneficiaries of AIF in Punjab are farmers.
The Cabinet Minister stated that this achievement is highlighting Punjab's progressive role in extending benefits of the scheme to the agriculture community and sets a benchmark in scheme implementation in the agriculture sector.
Director Horticulture Mrs. Shailender Kaur mentioned that PM Kusum Component-A and integrated primary-secondary processing projects are now eligible activities under the expanded AIF Scheme. Individual beneficiaries can now apply for projects such as mushroom farming, polyhouse/greenhouse setups, vertical farming, hydroponic and aeroponic farming, as well as logistics facilities. These additions present further opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs in the state to adopt modern farming techniques and infrastructure. Punjab will continue to benefit from AIF Scheme, as its latest expansion makes the scheme more inclusive, she added.