THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES ( PROF. CHAMAN LAL GUPTA )
(a): Plan funds allotted to the Ministry of Food Processing
Industries during the last three financial years is given as
under :-
Year (Amount Rs. in Crores)
1998-99 30.00 1999-2000 40.00 2000-2001 50.00
(b) to (d): No, Sir. The Government have taken a number of
policy initiatives to promote the growth of processed food
sector in the country. Some of these are as under which clearly
indicates that the role of Ministry is People-oriented.
(i) Under the plan schemes of the Ministry of Food Processing
Industries, financial assistance is provided to private
industries, public sector undertakings, Non-governmental
Organizations, Co-operatives, Human Resource Development
Organizations and Research & Development Institutions etc for
the development of processed food sector.
(ii) Food Processing Industries have been included in the list
of priority sector for bank lending.
(iii) Most of the processed food items have been exempted
from the purview of licensing under Industries (Development &
Regulation) Act, 1951.
(iv) Approval for foreign equity in automatic route is available
for most of the processed food items except alcohol and beer and
those reserved for small scale sector, subject to certain
conditions.
(v) From the Budget Year 2001 – 2002, excise duty for processed
fruits and vegetables has been brought down to zero from 16%.
(vi) The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has also
initiated action for formulating a National Food Processing
Policy and for this purpose a Draft Policy has been prepared
which envisages, among other things, creation of enabling
environment, infrastructure development, linkages at farm level
etc.
