Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of National Agricultural Market through Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund
The
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi, has given its approval to a Central Sector Scheme for Promotion
of National Agricultural Market through Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund (ATIF).
The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC) will set it up through
the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) by creation of a common
electronic platform deployable in selected regulated markets across the
country.
An
amount of Rs. 200 crore has been earmarked for the scheme from 2015-16 to
2017-18. This includes provision for supplying software free of cost by DAC
to the States and Union Territories (UTs) and for cost of related
hardware/infrastructure to be subsidized by the Government of India up to Rs. 30
lakh per Mandi (other than for private mandis).
The
target is to cover 585 selected regulated markets across the country, with the
following break-up:
2015-16:
250 mandis
2016-17:
200 mandis
2017-18:135
mandis
585
regulated markets across the country will be integrated with the common
e-platform to provide farmers and traders with access to opportunities for
purchase/ sale of agri-commodities at optimal prices in a transparent manner
across the country. Besides, private markets will also be allowed access to
the e-platform thereby enhancing its outreach.
The
Scheme is applicable on All-India basis. There is no State wise allocation under
the Scheme. However, desirous States would be required to meet the
pre-requisites in terms of carrying out necessary agri-marketing
reforms.
SFAC
will be the lead agency for the development of the National e-Market by the
Ministry of Agriculture, and they will select a service provider through open
bidding. An appropriate common e-market platform will be set up that would be
deployable in the selected 585 regulated wholesale markets in States/UTs
desirous of joining the e-platform. The SFAC will implement the national
e-platform in three phases during 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. DAC will meet
expenses on software and its customisation for the States and provide it free of
cost to the States and UTs. DAC will also give grant as one time fixed cost
subject to the ceiling of Rs.30 lakh per Mandi for related equipment /
infrastructure in the 585 regulated mandis, for installation of the e-market
platform. Big private mandis will also be allowed access to the e-platform
for purposes of price discovery. However they will not be supported with any
funds for equipment / infrastructure.
For
integration with the e-platform the States/UTs will need to undertake prior
reforms in respect of (i) a single license to be valid across the State, (ii)
single point levy of market fee and (iii) provision for electronic auction as a
mode for price discovery. Only those States/UTs that have completed these three
pre-requisites will be eligible for assistance under the scheme.
The
e-marketing platform should promote reform of the agricultural marketing sector
and apart from promoting free flow of agri commodities across the country and
should result in greater farmer satisfaction as prospects for marketing of his
produce would be significantly enhanced. He will have improved access to market
related information and better price discovery through a more efficient,
transparent and competitive marketing platform, which gives him access to a
greater number of buyers within the State and from outside, through transparent
auction processes. It would also increase his access to markets through
warehouse based sales and thus obviate the need to transport his produce to the
mandi.
Background:
Following
successive Budget announcements of 2014 and 2015 on setting up an "Agri-Tech
Infrastructure Fund" and on National Market respectively, DAC formulated the
scheme for Promotion of National Agriculture Market through Agri-Tech
Infrastructure Fund (ATIF).
Integration
of agri-markets across the country through the e-platform is seen as an
important measure for overcoming challenges posed by the present agri-marketing
system namely - fragmentation of State into multiple market areas each
administered by separate APMC, multiple levy of mandi fees, requirement for
multiple license for trading in different APMCs, licensing barriers leading to
conditions of monopoly, poor quality of infrastructure and low use of
technology, information asymmetry, opaque process for price discovery, high
level of market charges, movement controls, etc.
The
need to unify markets both at State and National level is, therefore, clearly
the requirement of time, in order to provide better price to farmers, improve
supply chain, reduce wastages and create a unified national market through
provision of the common e-platform.
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