Overwhelming response to Centre’s Kisan Sampada Yojana from Amritsar farmers, industry
Confederation of Indian Industry, National Partner with the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, organized an interaction with Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Minister for Food Processing Industries, Government of India, with progressive farmers and industry in Amritsar today. More than 500 delegates attended the event aimed to encourage farmers to diversify into the food processing industry.
Addressing a huge gathering of farmers and the industry, Harsimrat said, “The Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, will hand-hold farmers and entrepreneurs who invest in mega food parks in Punjab for two years from the time their projects are launched, Minister for Food Processing, Government of India, Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal said while addressing a huge gathering at an interaction with farmers and Industry on Kisan Sampada Yojana of the Government of India, in Amritsar today.
“My priority is that the farmers of Punjab must benefit most out of the Rs 6,000 crore allocated by the Prime Minister to boost the food processing industry. The fund is to be used in the next three years,” she said.
“With three mega food parks in Fazilka, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur, which is the largest share of mega food parks in any state out of the 42 food parks being set up in the country. These food parks will also lead to the creation of 5 lakh jobs and create opportunity to process processing of farm produce worth Rs 1 lakh crore worth of farm produce. Punjab farmers must come forward and set up their food processing units at these food parks and avail the benefit of common infrastructure facilities like cold chain, warehouses, packaging, sorting, grading etc all at one place,” she said.
“Farmers will get subsidies in equal measure of their investment from the Union Ministry up-to 35 per cent subsidy for their projects. Under the cluster food processing scheme under Kisan Sampada Yojana, subsidy up to Rs 10 crore will be given by the ministry for setting up five food processing units in mini food parks,” she said.
“Under the backward forward linkage scheme subsidy up-to a limit of Rs 5 crore will be given to modernise, upgrade, expand food processing units. Special focus will be on NGOs and cooperatives, she pointed out.
“I thank the Prime Minister for allowing 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the multi-brand retail of food, which is bringing in huge investment in the food processing sector. In the first two months of the year 200 million dollar worth of FDI has come into India. Countries like Japan want to fund inputs required by farmers to grow tomatoes over 1,000 acre of land. The world is looking towards India for partnership. The World Food India 2017 from 3 to 5 November in Delhi will see huge national and international participation,” the minister said.
“Assured lifting, option to sell farm produce to the industry offers great opportunity for farmers, Harsimrat said.
Mr Gunbir Singh, Past Chairman, CII Punjab State Council, said, “CII has been working very closely with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries at the Centre and also with the State Governments and we are privileged to partner with MoFPI as the National event partner for World Food India 2017 – an event that aims to transform, the food economy.”
“To showcase the immense opportunities offered by Indian food processing sector, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India is organizing India’s largest International event in food processing and allied sectors ‘World Food India 2017’ in New Delhi from 03-05 Nov, 2017
The Ministry of Food Processing has also come up with an innovative scheme called KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA. The Hon’ble Minister will herself share salient features of the scheme with the august audience shortly. This initiative, a special fund of Rs 6,000 crore has been assigned for the scheme for a period of four years (2016-2020) coterminous with the 14th Finance Commission cycle, along with schemes that include mega parks, integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure, creation and expansion of food processing and preservation capacities, infrastructure for agro processing clusters, creation of backward and forward linkages, food safety and quality assurance infrastructure and human resources and institutions.”