This guide explains what NAIFF covers, who can apply, which projects qualify, how AIF portal registration and login work, how to check your application status online and what has changed in 2026. The figures come from the official AIF portal and Press Information Bureau releases.
What Is NAIFF, and Is It the Same as AIF?
Yes. NAIFF and AIF refer to the same scheme. The official portal of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare carries the title National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility, while ministry documents and Parliament replies call it the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. Some websites also write 'National Agriculture Infrastructure Fund', or 'NAIF', which again points to the same scheme.
The Finance Minister announced the ₹1 lakh crore facility on 15 May 2020. It is designed as a medium-to-long-term debt financing facility for viable post-harvest management projects and community farming assets at farm gate and aggregation points. The scheme is operational from 2020-21 to 2032-33.
The money itself comes from banks and other lenders. The government supports those loans through interest subvention and credit guarantee, so NAIFF works as a loan subsidy and risk cover rather than a cash grant.
NAIFF Benefits at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Financing facility | ₹1 lakh crore for agriculture infrastructure projects |
| Interest subvention | 3% per year on loans up to ₹2 crore, for up to seven years |
| Credit guarantee | CGTMSE cover for loans up to ₹2 crore, with the fee paid by the government |
| Lending rate cap | A PIB backgrounder of March 2026 states a maximum interest rate of 9% |
| Lenders | Commercial banks, cooperative banks, RRBs, small finance banks, NCDC and NBFCs |
| Project limit | Up to 25 projects for a private entity across different locations |
A loan can exceed ₹2 crore, but the subvention stays limited to ₹2 crore per project in one location. The 25 project limit does not apply to state agencies or to national and state federations of cooperatives, FPOs and SHGs.
Who Is Eligible Under the AIF Scheme?
- The official portal and Parliament reply list the following beneficiaries.
- Farmers and agri-entrepreneurs
- Startups working in agriculture
- Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
- Primary agricultural credit societies and marketing cooperative societies
- Self-Help Groups and Joint Liability Groups
- State agencies, APMCs and federations of cooperatives, FPOs and SHGs
Which Projects Qualify?
- Eligible projects cover both post-harvest management assets and community farming assets.
- Cold storage and cold chain projects, warehouses and silos
- Sorting, grading, assaying and packaging units
- Primary processing centres and ripening chambers
- Reefer vans and insulated vehicles
- Custom hiring centres, farm automation and standalone solar pumps under PM-KUSUM
- Honey, sericulture and spirulina processing units and plant quarantine units
In August 2024 the Union Cabinet widened the scheme. Viable community farming assets are now open to all eligible beneficiaries, integrated primary and secondary processing projects qualify, PM-KUSUM Component A can be combined with AIF, and NABSanrakshan can provide credit guarantees for FPOs. Standalone secondary processing projects remain outside the scheme and fall under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries schemes.
AIF Scheme Guidelines: Key Rules to Know
- The subvention runs for a maximum of seven years and is capped at ₹2 crore of the loan.
- One entity can put up projects in different locations, up to 25 for private entities.
- Loan disbursement was planned over six years, while the scheme itself continues until 2032-33.
- The National Monitoring Committee may fix the extent and percentage of funding for private entrepreneurs.
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare publishes the operational guidelines. Applicants searching for the AIF scheme guidelines PDF should download the current version from the official portal and confirm details with the lending branch, since the rules have been amended more than once.
Documents Required for a NAIFF Loan
The portal publishes a document checklist, so confirm it before applying. Lenders commonly ask for the following.
- Bank loan application form or customer request letter for the AIF loan
- Identity and address proof of promoters, partners or directors, with photographs
- Registration proof such as a certificate of incorporation, partnership registration, Udyam or cooperative registration
- Income tax returns and audited balance sheets for three years, and bank statements for the last year, where applicable
- GST certificate, where applicable
- Land title deed, lease deed or mortgage permission for leasehold property
- Detailed Project Report (DPR)
- Local authority permissions, layout plans and building sanctions, where applicable
- Promoter net worth statement and repayment record of existing loans
AIF Portal Registration and Login: Step by Step
- Open the official AIF portal at agriinfra.dac.gov.in.
- Select Beneficiary at the top right and choose Registration.
- Register as an individual farmer, FPO, SHG, cooperative or other entity and complete OTP verification.
- Log in with your registered email or beneficiary ID.
- Open Loan Applications and enter project details such as location, type of infrastructure, capacity and cost.
- Upload the DPR and supporting documents, then select your lending bank and branch.
- Submit the application. The Project Management Unit verifies it and forwards it to the selected bank.
How to Check AIF Application Status Online
After submission, log in to the AIF portal and open your dashboard to see where the application stands. The usual stages are verification by the Project Management Unit, transfer to the selected bank, bank appraisal and sanction, and disbursement. The portal also sends SMS updates to the registered mobile number. If the status does not move after the application reaches the bank, contact the lending branch, because the appraisal and the sanction decision rest with the lender.
What Happens After You Apply?
The bank reviews the DPR, assesses project viability and may inspect the site before deciding. Approval is not guaranteed, and the lender decides on the sanction and any security requirements. The interest subvention is provided by the Government of India on eligible loans, which lowers the borrower’s effective interest cost.
A realistic project report, clear land or lease papers and the correct choice of project category make appraisal smoother. Applicants should also track how many projects they have already filed, since private entities are limited to 25.
NAIFF Progress and Updates for 2026
- A PIB release of 3 February 2026 reports loans of ₹80,224.15 crore sanctioned for 150,431 projects till 26 January 2026, mobilising an investment of ₹127,508 crore.
- The same release notes that credit guarantee for loans up to ₹2 crore is supported under CGTMSE and NABSanrakshan.
- A PIB backgrounder of March 2026 reports 8,190 women-led projects worth ₹2,377 crore supported under AIF.
- News reports of 25 and 26 October 2026 state that the Department of Expenditure extended the scheme from 30 September 2026 to 31 March 2027. Applicants should confirm the current sanction deadline on the portal or with their lender.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NAIFF?
NAIFF, or National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility, is the official name of the scheme better known as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). It is a ₹1 lakh crore central sector facility that supports loans for post-harvest management projects and community farming assets through 3% interest subvention and credit guarantee cover for loans up to ₹2 crore.
What is the maximum loan under NAIFF?
Interest subvention and credit guarantee apply to loans up to ₹2 crore per project. A borrower can take a larger loan, but the 3% subvention is still limited to ₹2 crore. The subvention is available for a maximum of seven years, and private entities can have up to 25 projects in different locations.
Who can apply for the AIF scheme?
Farmers, agri entrepreneurs, agriculture startups, FPOs, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, marketing cooperatives, Self Help Groups, Joint Liability Groups, state agencies, APMCs and federations can apply. The project must be viable and fall within the eligible list of post-harvest or community farming assets.
How do I register and log in on the AIF portal?
Visit agriinfra.dac.gov.in, select Beneficiary and then Registration, and complete the details and OTP verification. After registering, log in with your email or Beneficiary ID, open Loan Applications, enter project details, upload the DPR and documents and select your bank and branch before submitting.
How can I check AIF application status online?
Log in to the AIF portal with your registered email or Beneficiary ID and open your dashboard to view the stage of the application. The portal also sends SMS updates to your registered mobile number. After the application moves to the bank, the lending branch can confirm appraisal and sanction progress.
Does NAIFF require collateral?
Credit guarantee cover under CGTMSE is available for eligible loans up to ₹2 crore, and the government pays the fee. This cover reduces lender risk, but the bank still appraises project viability and decides its own security requirements, so approval and collateral terms depend on the lender.
Until when can applicants avail NAIFF?
The scheme is operational from 2020-21 to 2032-33, with interest subvention available for up to seven years on each loan. Reports from October 2026 say the sanction window was extended from 30 September 2026 to 31 March 2027, so applicants should confirm the current deadline with the portal or lender.
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