Aligning itself with the focus on programmes like Start-up India and Standup India aimed at young entrepreneurs with new and innovative ideas, NCDC has launched the Yuva Sahakar – Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme 2019. The scheme aims at enabling Start-Ups in the Cooperative sector covering all types of activities. Further, the Scheme aims at encouraging newly formed cooperative societies with new and / or innovative ideas. It is more liberal to cooperatives registered and operating in Aspirational districts identified by NITI Aayog, cooperatives with 100% women/ SC/ ST/ PwD members. NCDC has launched a new scheme of paid internship, called, SAHAKAR MITRA for youth studying in various institutions such as Universities, IIMs etc 

Ever since its inception in the early 1960s, the NCDC has made concerted efforts to create scientific storage facilities at various levels in the cooperative sector. Kindly elaborate on this issue.

NCDC has been making systematic and sustained efforts for creation of scientific storage facilities at various levels in the cooperative sector. As a result of concerted efforts, the storage capacity assisted by NCDC and owned by cooperatives has increased from about 11 lakh MT in 1962-63 to 165.11 lakh MT by the end of 31.03.2019. A total amount of Rs.1075.82 crore has been released by NCDC under various programmes towards construction of godowns, repair and renovation of godowns, technical and margin money assistance for business promotion under Internationally Aided Component. During 2019-20, NCDC has sanctioned assistance of Rs. 26.845 crore to 31 Cooperative societies and disbursed Rs.17.25 crore to 56 societies.

NCDC has now shifted its focus from assisting mere cold storages to financing the entire Cold Chain logistics. As on 31.03.2019, 323 Cold Chain/Cold Storage projects have been sanctioned with a capacity of 9.88 lakh MT. Out of this 305 cooperative cold storage projects with a total capacity of 9.36 lakh MT have been completed.