(a) the nature and details of aid being provided by the Government to local people and farmers for setting-up of food processing industries in rural areas particularly in Madhya Pradesh;
(b) whether it is possible to increase the income of farmers by promoting these industries; and
(c) if so, whether local people and farmers are being encouraged to set-up such industries at small and large scale and if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing a Central Sector scheme, ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)’ with an allocation of Rs.6000 crore during 2016-2020 coterminous with Fourteenth Finance Commission to promote food processing industries in the country. The PMKSY has seven component schemes viz; (i) Mega Food Parks, (ii) Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, (iii) Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters, (iv) Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, (v) Creation/Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities, (vi) Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure and (vii) Human Resources and Institutions. A new Central Sector Scheme “Operation Greens” for exclusive integrated development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) crops value chain, with an outlay of Rs.500 crore to, inter alia, promote Farmers Producers Organizations (FPO), agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management of FPOs has been launched.
The MoFPI provides financial assistance as capital subsidy in the form of grants-in-aid under various component schemes of Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) as also under ‘Operation Greens’. The rate of subsidy ranges from 35% to 75% depending on the type of scheme and location of projects. Individuals, farmers, entrepreneurs, organizations such as Central and State PSUs/Joint Ventures/Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)/NGOs/Cooperatives/SHGs/ Public and Private Companies etc. are eligible for financial assistance. Financial assistance to the eligible applicants is provided against the Expression of Interests (EoI) invited by the MoFPI from time to time. The details of the operational guidelines for different schemes are available on the website of the Ministry at www.mofpi.nic.in.
(b): The PMKSY is a comprehensive package with the objectives, inter alia, to reduce wastage of agricultural produces and increase the level of food processing in the country that can lead to increase in demand for agricultural produces as raw material and result in better price realization of the agricultural produces by the farmers and help them increasing their income. The PMKSY is major boost towards doubling farmers’ income and farmers. The scheme ‘Operation Greens’ has also the similar objectives.
(c): Yes, Madam.
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