Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund
पशुपालन अवसंरचना विकास निधि
A 3% interest subvention on a bank loan of up to 90% of project cost, for setting up a dairy processing unit, a meat processing unit, or an animal feed plant.
- Revised outlay
- ₹29,110.25 crore, through FY2025-26
- Scheme status
- Active
- Interest subvention
- 3% for all eligible entities
- Loan cover
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Repayment
- Up to 8 years, incl. 2-year moratorium
- Application mode
- Udyami Mitra portal (SIDBI)
- Credit guarantee
- ₹750 crore fund, managed by NABARD
- Ministry
- Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Overview
AHIDF was announced under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat stimulus package with an original corpus of ₹15,000 crore, disbursed by scheduled banks from 2020-21. The Union Cabinet later approved its continuation with a revised outlay of ₹29,110.25 crore through FY2025-26, under the same design.
Unlike a scheme that pays a beneficiary directly, AHIDF works through the banking system: an eligible entity takes a loan of up to 90% of an approved project's cost from a scheduled bank, and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying pays a 3% interest subvention on that loan directly to the bank for up to 8 years (including a 2-year moratorium). The fund does not cover land purchase, working capital, or the purchase of old machinery or vehicles.
It targets three kinds of infrastructure: dairy processing and value-added dairy products (ice cream, cheese, UHT milk, milk/whey powder), meat processing and value-added meat products for sheep/goat/poultry/pig/buffalo, and animal feed manufacturing (mini/medium/large feed plants, TMR blocks, bypass protein units, mineral mixture plants, silage units and feed testing labs).
Scheme highlights
3% interest subvention
Paid by DAHD directly to the lending bank, for up to 8 years including a 2-year moratorium on principal.
Loan up to 90% of project cost
Micro/small units contribute as little as 10% margin money; medium enterprises up to 15%; other categories up to 25%.
Credit Guarantee Fund
A ₹750 crore fund managed by NABARD covers up to 25% of the credit facility for projects within MSME-defined ceilings.
Covers feed plants, not just dairy/meat
Mini, medium and large animal feed plants, TMR block units, bypass-protein units, mineral mixture plants and silage units all qualify.
Single online application
DPR and interest-subvention application both go through the "Udyami Mitra" portal built by SIDBI.
What you get
Interest subvention
3% for all eligible entities, paid directly to the scheduled bank rather than as a cash transfer to the borrower.
Who benefits
Individual entrepreneurs, Private companies, MSMEs, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Section 8 companies.
Three eligible activities
Dairy processing/value addition, meat processing/value addition, and animal feed manufacturing — each with its own project checklist.
Credit guarantee for MSME projects
Reduces the collateral a small entrepreneur needs to put up, on top of the interest subvention itself.
Who is eligible
Both lists come from the notified operational guidelines — meeting the left column is not enough if anything in the right column applies to your family.
You qualify if
- Individual entrepreneur, Private company, MSME, FPO or Section 8 company
- Project falls under dairy processing, meat processing, or animal feed manufacturing (including sub-categories like TMR blocks or mineral mixture plants)
- Applicant already holds, or can arrange, the land the project needs — on ownership or a lease of at least 30 years
- Can contribute the required margin money: 10% for micro/small units, 15% for medium enterprises, up to 25% for others
- Able to secure a bank-appraised, viable Detailed Project Report (DPR) and get it sanctioned by a scheduled bank
- Not in default on repayment of any existing loan in the year the subvention is claimed
Excluded — even with land
- Loan sought for land purchase, working capital, or old machinery/vehicles for personal use — none of these are covered
- Project without a bank-sanctioned loan or a viable, appraised DPR
- An entity already in default on loan repayment loses subvention eligibility for that year
- A project that sees no drawls within 6 months of sanction is treated as a non-starter, and the sanction lapses if the project is not grounded within 12 months
Where this scheme applies
A central scheme with pan-India coverage — open to eligible farmers in every State and Union Territory.
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — the online form takes ten minutes when nothing is missing.
Detailed Project Report (DPR)
Component-wise cost breakup, total and recurring cost, expected net income, and project viability.
Identity and address proof
PAN/TIN/Aadhaar of the applicant, and proof of the corporate or individual address.
Land ownership or lease papers
Proof of ownership, or a lease of at least 30 years, for the project site — AHIDF does not finance land purchase itself.
MSME certificate
Where applicable — it decides the margin-money percentage and Credit Guarantee Fund eligibility.
Bank statements and turnover
Last six months' bank statement, and the last three years' balance sheet for the entity.
Layout plan and machinery list
Civil and machinery layout certified by a registered architect, plus the full list of equipment to be procured.
How to apply, step by step
The same six steps apply whether you register yourself online or sit down at a CSC.
- 1
Prepare a Detailed Project Report
Draft the DPR with cost breakup, quality-management plan, and market/employment projections — approach the State Animal Husbandry Department or a listed handholding agency for technical help if needed.
- 2
Secure land and statutory clearances
Arrange the project land (owned or on a 30-year-plus lease) and the clearances listed at the scheme's Annexure I — AHIDF does not fund land acquisition.
- 3
Apply through the Udyami Mitra portal
Submit the DPR and self-contained proposal via the SIDBI-built Udyami Mitra portal, then approach a scheduled bank for loan sanction.
- 4
Bank appraisal and sanction
The scheduled bank appraises the project and sanctions the loan — up to 90% of project cost — before forwarding it for interest-subvention approval.
- 5
Interest-subvention approval
The Project Approval Committee clears projects up to ₹50 crore; larger projects go to the Project Sanctioning Committee. DAHD then pays the 3% subvention directly to the bank.
- 6
Implementation and monitoring
The project is built out and monitored quarterly by the Project Sanctioning Committee and DAHD's Project Management Agency until completion.
Important dates
Announced
2020 (AtmaNirbhar Bharat package)
Original corpus ₹15,000 crore
Disbursement began
2020-21
Cabinet extension
Continuation approved
Revised outlay ₹29,110.25 crore, through FY2025-26
Facts last checked
2026-08-03
Against dahd.gov.in operational guidelines and the PIB press release on the AHIDF extension
Check your eligibility
Straight from the notified criteria. Nothing you enter leaves your phone.
0 of 6 answered
This checker applies the criteria in the official operational guidelines, but it is guidance — only the state government’s verification against the land records is final.
Downloads
Official documents only — everything below is hosted on the government's own servers.
Official links & helpline
Bookmark the portal itself — no third-party site can release, block or speed up a payment.
- AHIDF page, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairyingdahd.gov.in — the scheme's official overview and guidelines download
- Apply via Udyami Mitra portalThe SIDBI-built portal used to submit the DPR and interest-subvention application
- Cabinet approval press releasePIB press release on the Cabinet-approved continuation and revised outlay
Frequently asked questions
What is AHIDF?
The Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund is a Government of India scheme that pays a 3% interest subvention on bank loans taken to set up dairy processing, meat processing or animal feed manufacturing infrastructure — announced in 2020 with an original ₹15,000 crore corpus, since extended with a revised outlay of ₹29,110.25 crore through FY2025-26.
Who is eligible for AHIDF?
Individual entrepreneurs, Private companies, MSMEs, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Section 8 companies, provided the project is a dairy processing unit, a meat processing unit, or an animal feed plant, and the entity can arrange the project land and the required margin money.
How much loan and subsidy does AHIDF actually give?
A scheduled bank can lend up to 90% of an approved project's cost, and DAHD pays a 3% interest subvention on that loan directly to the bank for up to 8 years (including a 2-year moratorium on principal). It is an interest subvention, not a cash grant — the beneficiary still repays the full principal.
What can AHIDF money be used for?
Setting up or strengthening dairy processing units and value-added dairy product plants (ice cream, cheese, UHT milk, milk/whey powder), meat processing and value-added meat product units for sheep, goat, poultry, pig and buffalo, and animal feed manufacturing — mini, medium or large feed plants, TMR block units, bypass-protein units, mineral mixture plants, silage units and feed testing laboratories.
What is AHIDF NOT eligible for?
Land purchase in any form, working capital, and old machinery or vehicles for personal use are all explicitly excluded — the fund finances the built infrastructure and new equipment, not the land under it or day-to-day running costs.
How do I apply for AHIDF?
Submit a Detailed Project Report and self-contained proposal through the "Udyami Mitra" portal built by SIDBI, then approach a scheduled bank for loan appraisal and sanction. Once the bank sanctions the loan, it forwards the case to DAHD for interest-subvention approval.
How much margin money do I need to put in myself?
As little as 10% of project cost for micro and small units (as defined under MSME norms), up to 15% for medium enterprises, and up to 25% for other categories of entity — the bank loan covers the rest, up to the 90% cap.
Is there a credit guarantee under AHIDF?
Yes — a ₹750 crore Credit Guarantee Fund, managed by NABARD, covers up to 25% of the credit facility for projects that fall within MSME-defined cost ceilings, reducing the collateral a small entrepreneur needs to offer the bank.
What is the repayment period under AHIDF?
Up to 8 years including a 2-year moratorium on principal at the project level, and the scheme caps the overall repayment period at 10 years including moratorium from the date of first disbursement — though a lending bank may set a shorter tenure based on the project and the borrower's repayment capacity.
Still have questions?
The FAQs above cover the common ones. For anything about your specific application, the ministry helpline undefined is the authoritative answer — and we are happy to point you in the right direction.