New initiatives/ developments of Ministry of Food Processing Industries

New Delhi: Ministry of Food Processing Industries is concerned with the formulation and implementation of policies for Development of food processing industries in the country. Food processing sector plays a vital role in reduction of wastages of agri-horti produce, enhancing shelf life of food products, ensuring value addition to agricultural produce, diversification of agriculture. Employment generation, Enhancing the incomes of farmers and export of agro & processed foods.

Ever since the new government has taken over, the following key developments have taken place in the Ministry of Food Processing :

• Special fund of Rs. 2000 crore set up in NABARD, which was announced in the Budget of 2014-15 to provide affordable credit to Agro-processing units.
• Reduction in excise duty from 10% to 6% for Food Processing machinery announced in the Budget 2014-15
• Help desk "Investors Portal" has been set up to assist the prospective investors/ entrepreneurs to facilitate investments in the Food Processing sector.
• Skill Development initiative taken by the Ministry in consultation with National Skill Development Council and identified 7 sectors ( Bakery, Dairy, Grain Processing, Poultry, Refrigeration, Packaging, Quality Control) with the help of reputed industry partners to train 10,000 persons in the next 12 months.
• E monitoring of National Mission on Food Processing (NMFP) - Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched.
• A study to set up of Solar Driers in Leh and Kargil of Ladakh region of J&K State has been commissioned and nearing completion.
• 5 Nos of Mega Food Parks approved in the states of Bihar, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
• 83 proposals received in respect of Expression of Interest received for setting up of new mega food parks.
• 3 Nos of cold chain projects operational in Kolkata, Udamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand and Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• 20 new cold chain projects been sanctioned.

WAY FORWARD

• Explore new scheme for infrastructure and cluster development of perishables.
• Facilitate solutions to industries for the issues related to FSSAI.

Ministry is committed to facilitate and act as a catalyst to attract investments from within India and abroad into Food Processing sector.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.