From Sandeep Sharma
GUWAHATI: The ministry of food processing industries has set a target of setting up ten mini food parks in Assam during the tenure of five years. Six such parks have already been sanctioned for Tinsukia, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Kamrup Metro, Darrang and Karbi Anglong, which are in various stages of implementation. The remaining four will be sanctioned soon, Union minister of state for food processing industries Rameswar Teli said here on Tuesday.
Teli was addressing a meeting to review the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food Enterprises (PMFME) scheme held in presence of state industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary at Assam Administrative Staff College here on Tuesday.
The MoFPI has launched the centrally sponsored PMFME scheme for providing financial, technical and business support for up-gradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.
As a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, PMFME scheme will assist two lakh micro food processing units spread across the country over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore.
In Assam, the ministry has targeted to support 12,778 units with a budget allocation of Rs. 638.92 crore within a period of five years.
“The mega food park at Tihu is almost complete which will benefit the enterprises in this thriving industry. The ministry has allotted Rs. 3.39 crore to Tocklai Tea Research Institute for establishment of a state-of-the art laboratory,” Teli said.
“We are also planning to set up a sophisticated lab in GTAC to test the quality of tea. A branch of the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology will be established in Sonapur. The ministry further provides 50% subsidy for transportation through train and air service from Northeastern states to any place in the country,” he added.
Underlying the fact that 21 unique products have been identified for the One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme, the Union minister sought cooperation of the industry, agriculture and horticulture departments.
Patowary asked the industry department officials to take up the food processing sector on a priority basis.
He further urged FINER, FICCI and Laghu Udyog Bharati to prepare a roadmap for food processing industries as it is only this sector which can uplift the rural economy.
“There is a huge potential of the food processing sector in Assam and the focus is on sub-sectors like banana, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, pineapple, oranges etc. and its value-added products,” Patowary said.
For implementation of the scheme, the Industries and Commerce Department is the state nodal department and Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) is the state nodal agency.
The general managers of the DICCs have been nominated as district resource persons (DRP) for facilitating the applicants and raising awareness drives.
Dr KK Dwivedi, principal secretary, industries and commerce; Virendra Mittal, PS to the Union minister; Adil Khan, managing director, AIDC; Oinam Saran Singh, commissioner of industries; senior officials of Centre and state governments, industry associations, financial institutions attended and interacted during the meeting.
