Move to beef up agricultural market infrastructure

In order to create an integrated agricultural market at national level, the Government has formulated a Central Sector Scheme for “Promotion of National Agriculture Market through Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund (ATIF)” to be implemented with a budgetary outlay of Rs.200 crore during 2015-16 to 2017-18.

Under the scheme, an appropriate common e-market platform would be deployed in 585 selected regulated wholesale markets in States across the country.

Department of Agriculture and Co-operation (DAC) will meet expenses on software and its customisation for the States, and, in addition, will also give grant as a one-time fixed cost subject to a ceiling of Rs.30 lakh per mandi for related hardware, including equipment/infrastructure.