Accessing ₹3.2 Cr in Government Grants for an Agri-Infrastructure Project in Rajasthan
Key Results
₹3.2 Cr
Total Benefit Secured
Combined value of grants, subsidized loans, and interest subventions across 4 schemes
6.5% vs 12.5%
Effective Borrowing Cost
NABARD RIDF rate vs commercial rate — saving ₹43 lakh in interest over loan tenor
₹1.8 Cr
Capital Subsidy
NHM cold storage capital subsidy on eligible capex
IRR: 9% → 16%
Project Viability
Improvement in project IRR from scheme benefits — making the project bankable
The Challenge
An agri-infrastructure developer in Rajasthan was planning a ₹12 crore cold storage and processing facility to serve the state's growing horticulture sector. The developer had the land, the technical plan, and a committed anchor tenant — but was struggling to make the project financially viable at commercial borrowing rates. A financial advisor had suggested that government schemes might be available, but the developer had no experience navigating the scheme application process and had been told by a local consultant that the NABARD RIDF scheme was 'too complex' to access.
Our Approach
Phase 1: Scheme Eligibility Assessment (Weeks 1–3)
We conducted a comprehensive scheme eligibility assessment, mapping the project against all applicable central and state schemes. The assessment identified 4 applicable schemes: NABARD RIDF (infrastructure loan), NHM capital subsidy (cold storage), AIF (agri-infrastructure fund), and a Rajasthan state scheme for food processing infrastructure.
- Project documentation review and scheme eligibility mapping
- NABARD RIDF eligibility confirmation and application strategy
- NHM capital subsidy eligibility and documentation requirements
- AIF scheme eligibility and application process
- Rajasthan state scheme identification and eligibility assessment
Phase 2: Application Preparation and Submission (Weeks 4–20)
We prepared and submitted applications for all 4 schemes, managing the documentation requirements, government liaison, and follow-up process. The applications were sequenced to maximize total benefit and minimize administrative burden.
- NABARD RIDF application: ₹7.2 Cr at 6.5% for 8 years
- NHM capital subsidy application: 35% of eligible cold storage capex
- AIF application: ₹1.5 Cr interest subvention
- Rajasthan state scheme application: ₹45 lakh grant
- Government liaison and application follow-up management
Phase 3: Sanction and Compliance Management (Weeks 21–32)
We managed the post-sanction compliance requirements for all 4 schemes, ensuring that the developer met the utilization and reporting obligations that are required to retain the benefits.
- Sanction documentation review and compliance planning
- Utilization certificate preparation and submission
- Progress reporting to NABARD and NHM
- State scheme compliance management
- Post-completion audit support
Key Learning
The most important insight from this engagement was that government scheme access is a skill, not a lottery. The developer had been told the NABARD RIDF was 'too complex' — but with the right advisory support, the application was prepared and submitted in 6 weeks and sanctioned in 14 weeks. The total benefit of ₹3.2 crore transformed the project's economics from marginal to compelling. For any agri-infrastructure project above ₹3 crore, a scheme eligibility assessment should be the first step in the financial planning process — the potential benefit almost always exceeds the advisory cost by 10–20x.
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