OREANDA-NEWS. In order to encourage food processing sector in the country, Ministry of Food Processing Industries had launched a Centrally Sponsored Scheme - National Mission on Food Processing (NMFP) during 12th Five Year Plan. Under the Scheme for Technology Upgradation/ Establishment/ Modernization of Food Processing Industries of NMFP, financial assistance is provided to the entrepreneurs to set up food processing units in the country. Assistance is also available for modernization, up-gradation and expansion of the existing food processing industries. Under the scheme, financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid to entrepreneurs is extended @ 25% of the cost of Plant & Machinery and Technical Civil Works subject to a maximum of Rs. 50.00 lakhs in general areas & @33.33% subject to a maximum of Rs. 75.00 lakhs in difficult areas and 50% subject to maximum of Rs. 100.00 lakhs in North Eastern States including Sikkim.

The Ministry is also implementing the Central Sector Scheme of Mega Food Parks to provide modern infrastructure for food processing units in the country. The pattern of assistance is 50% of the eligible project cost in general areas and 75% in difficult areas subject to a maximum of Rs.50.00 crore per project. On an average, an investment of Rs. 120 crore is made in a Mega Food Park project which creates infrastructure for setting up of 30-35 processing units. The Government has so far approved 42 Mega Food Parks projects, out of which 25 projects are under various stages of implementation. The proposal for setting up of Mega Food Parks are invited by the Ministry through Expression of Interest (EOI) and projects are selected on merit, based on the parameters laid down in the Scheme guidelines. State-wise targets for setting up Mega Food Parks are not fixed. Ministry had invited Expression of Interest on 10.02.2014 for selection of Mega Food Parks projects against the vacant slots. The last date of submission of EOI was extended to 31.07.2014. In response to this EOI, a total 72 proposals have been received which are being appraised in the Ministry.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.