NEW DELHI, MARCH 18, 2026: Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah informed the Rajya Sabha that the Government has launched the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector to address the shortage of foodgrain storage capacity and strengthen decentralised agricultural infrastructure across the country.
The Minister stated that the initiative aims to create scientific storage infrastructure at the level of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and other cooperative institutions by converging multiple Government of India schemes such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure Scheme (AMI), and PMFME. The plan includes development of godowns, processing units, custom hiring centres and fair price shops, thereby strengthening rural agricultural ecosystems and enhancing farmers’ access to infrastructure.
Shri Amit Shah further highlighted that financial support mechanisms have been strengthened through enhanced subsidies, reduced margin requirements and extended credit guarantees for PACS. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has also agreed to provide long-term hiring assurance for cooperative godowns, ensuring project viability. The implementation follows a structured process involving the identification of suitable PACS, the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), and bank-linked financing through District Central Cooperative Banks.
The Minister informed that several cooperative societies across the country have already been identified under the plan, with construction of storage facilities underway and completed in multiple locations. The initiative is also enabling the development of cold chain infrastructure, including cold storage and logistics systems, to support agricultural value chains.
The Government reiterated that this ambitious initiative will play a crucial role in strengthening the cooperative sector, improving storage capacity, reducing post-harvest losses, and enhancing farmers’ income, in line with the vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi.
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