There had been a gradual decline in the number of cold storage projects  approved by the  Central Government in Chhattisgarh during the past three financial years.

During 2015-16 the Centre approved just one cold storage project for Chhattisgarh compared to three during 2014-15 and four during 2013-14, as per the data released by the Central Government.

This is at a time when as many as 22 food processing units in Chhattisgarh received total Central assistance of Rs 2.48 crores during the last financial year (2015-16).

The funds were received by the food processing units  under the scheme for Technology Upgradation, Establishment and Modernization exercises.

It may be recalled that the Central Government is making all out efforts to draw Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under its ‘Make In India’ programme for drawing investment in the Mega Food Park being set up in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district in an area of 68.68 hectares.

In a section titled “Projects Ready for Procurement in FY 2016-17” in its “Make in India Investment Book”, which had been circulated in Indian Missions abroad,  the Centre had mentioned that work on the project started in 2015 with the anticipated project completion time line of 2018-19.

The cold chain capacity created by the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries in Chhattisgarh stood at 8500 metric tonnes (MT) till April 2015, officials stated.

In a power point presentation on Prospects of Cold Chain Infrastructure in Eastern Region on April 6, 2015,  the Ministry has spelled out its plans of taking up a total of 500 Integrated Cold Chain projects as per the modified pattern of the Central assistance during the next five years across the country to create capacity of 2.5 million tonnes.

The core objective of the projects is to make the scheme of cold chain value addition and preservation infrastructure open ended, it stated.

Incidentally, on August 31 last year, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had directed officials to draw an action plan for operating a State-level ‘Food Processing Mission’  in the State.

Chairing a meeting of the State Industry Department at the office in his residence in Raipur,  the Chief Minister said that as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, the State would run the  ‘Food Processing Mission’  while using its own resources.

He said that the State Government has made a provision of Rs12 crore for launching the State-level ‘Food Processing Mission’.

Singh said that the launching of Mission would help farmers get better prices for their farm produce and also open new job avenues for youth in the Food Processing sector.

Officials attending the meeting said that Food Processing Sector in Chhattisgarh is being seen as a ‘focus sector’ to ensure industrial diversity.

The Chhattisgarh Government will also now promote use of solar photo voltaic power plants in cold storages in a bid to conserve huge quantum of energy consumed by such facilities in the State, officials stated.

The project is to be implemented by Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA), officials stated.

The solar power plant having 50 Kw minimum capacity would be installed in a cold storage in the State meant for storing fruits, vegetables and flowers.

The cold storage would also be connected to a ‘remote monitoring’ mechanism and the data would be viewable in a desktop or even smart phones.

Notably, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing a Central Sector Scheme of Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure under which assistance is provided for setting up of integrated cold chain infrastructure for arresting post-harvest losses of horticulture & non-horticulture produce subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs10 crore per project. In addition, National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and National Horticulture Board (NHB), under Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India are also providing assistance for setting up of cold storages under their respective schemes under which credit linked back ended subsidy @ 35% of the project cost (50% in NE, Hilly and Scheduled Areas) is provided for establishment of cold storages.

The cold storage/ cold chain facilities assisted by Government also support storage of vegetables such as tomato.