category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU CHANDIGARH Punjab has secured second position in the country for sanctioning highest number of applications under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme for a wide range of post-harvest management projects and community farming assets. Punjab Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra expressed satisfaction over the remarkable progress made by the state under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme during this financial year. Divulging further details, he said that As on July 31, the state has secured the second position in the country with a total of 4745 applications sanctioned after Madhya Pradesh. He informed that the top five states in terms of sanctioning applications are Madhya Pradesh (6316 applications), Punjab (4745), Maharashtra (4178), Uttar Pradesh (2244) and Karnataka (2029). Chetan Singh Jauramajra said that Punjab has surpassed Haryana in terms of the total amount sanctioned as the state now ranks 9th in the country with a Rs.1395 crores sanctioned compared to Haryana s Rs 1316 crore. The Horticulture Minister said that the top five districts in Punjab in terms of total applications received are Bathinda (1095), Fazilka (1015), Patiala (842), Sri Muktsar Sahib (784) and Sangrur (783). He said that with the valuable assistance from the AIF, numerous custom hiring centers, primary processing units, storage structures, cold stores etc are being established in the state. The minister apprised that the Department of Horticulture in Punjab serves as the nodal agency for this scheme in the state, which has established a dedicated Project Monitoring Unit to oversee its implementation. He said that Rs.4713 crores have been allocated for the state of Punjab, out of total financing facility of this scheme is Rs.1 Lakh crores in the entire country. The Horticulture Minister said that under the AIF scheme, eligible activities can avail of 3 interest subvention on term loans up to Rs.2 crores with a cap on interest rates set at 9 percent. Beneficiaries can enjoy the scheme s benefits for a period of 7 years and these benefits can be combined with various subsidies. Each beneficiary has the opportunity to set up to 25 projects. Jauramajra expressed his gratitude to the farmers and stakeholders in Punjab for their active participation and dedication in driving the state s agriculture and horticulture sectors towards greater heights. He said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led government is committed to supporting and empowering the farming community through various initiatives and schemes to boost agricultural growth and development in the state. (editor dailyworld.in)