Government to launch scheme to promote micro-food processing units soon: Badal

The focus will also be on creating jobs in the sector, setting up a non-banking finance company (NBFC) to fund food processing units, push for National Food Processing policy and organising World Food India event on a much larger scale, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said.

New Delhi:The government will soon launch 'Gram Samriddhi Yojana' under which small farmers will be facilitated to create up to 70,0000 micro-food processing units in the country with capital less than Rs 10 lakh for each unit, newly appointed Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said after taking charge on Tuesday.

The focus will also be on creating jobs in the sector, setting up a non-banking finance company (NBFC) to fund food processing units, push for National Food Processing policy and organising World Food India event on a much larger scale, Badal, who represents Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) -- a key NDA ally -- in the government, said.

Outlining the priority areas of her ministry, Badal said, "The ministry was working on 'Gram Samriddhi Yojana' with the World Bank, which is going to be launched soon."

The programme will focus on encouraging small farmers to set up micro-enterprises with a capital of less than Rs 10 lakh, she told media after assuming the charge.

The food processing ministry will facilitate the creation of 60,000-70,000 units within a short time. The pilot project will be carried out in four states and the initiative will be expanded subsequently, she said in a statement.

With regard to jobs, the minister said: "For the next five years, employment generation is going to be my focus, especially in rural areas, so that children of farmers do not have to look for employment elsewhere. Farmers should turn into job creators from being job seekers."

"I will soon take a review meeting of officers to understand the progress that has happened in the past few months," she added.

Welcoming Rameswar Teli, the new Minister of State for Food Processing, Badal said the food processing sector in North East will get a boost with his arrival.

North East has tremendous potential and it will be one of the focus geographies, she added.