Ministry of Food Processing Industries has sanctioned 16 new food processing /preservation and infrastructure projects with a total cost of Rs.230 crore with subsidy commitment of Rs.85 crore for Assam in the last one year. It include 3 agro-processing clusters or Mini Food Parks with the objective to create common modern food processing/preservation infrastructure facilities for the processing/preservation units, 12 food processing/preservation units and 1 backward and forward linkage infrastructure.
The Ministry has so far sanctioned 53 food processing/preservation projects in the different states of North East region in various supply chain component in the food processing sector with a total project cost of Rs. 980 crore and total subsidy commitment of Rs.480 crore. These projects will benefit about 3 lakh farmers in disposing of their surplus agri-produce and create direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 50,000 persons.
So far 16 projects have been completed and operationalized, benefiting about 70,000 farmers and creating direct and indirect employment for 6,500 persons.Hence food processing industries is being seen as a sector with great potential in the north east which can provide immense employment opportunities also.
The Government of India has been according top-most priority to North Eastern Region for its overall socio-economic development. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries as per the policy of the Government and in tune with the overall priorities to the region, has also been earmarking 10% of its budget for the implementation of its schemes and programmes in the region for the development of food processing sector.
The funds earmarked for NER States under schemes of MoFPI, however, is not fully spent for want of suitable proposals from the region restricting thus the Ministry to not increase the allocation beyond the mandatory minimum 10% allocation.
Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Shri Rameswar Teli requests all entrepreneurs/investors in the region to visit the website of the Ministry (www.mofpi.nic.in) for further details and apply for assistance to set up food processing/preservation industries for benefit of the people in the region for a vibrant food eco-system in the region.
During the last one year, a total of 177 food processing/preservation projects have been sanctioned in the country with a total project cost of Rs.2800 crore and subsidy commitment of Rs.940 crore consisting of 2 Mega Food Parks,19 Agro Processing Clusters, 22 Cold Chain, 127 Processing Units , 3 Backward and Forward Linkages and 4 Operation Greens for exclusive value chain development of Tomato, Onion and Potato crops.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries has been implementing its flagship scheme Pradhan MantriKisanSampadaYojana (PMKSY)in the region.
Under PMKSY, credit-linked financial assistance as capital subsidy in the range of 35% to 75% of the eligible project cost (subject to a ceiling) is
provided to support creation of modern infrastructure projects, food manufacturing units, value chain development, backward and forward linkages and food testing laboratories.