Twenty one States have adopted contract farming provision in their Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act and Government of Punjab has legislated a separate Contract Farming Act, 2013, which helps contract sponsors including food processing industry to enter into contract agreement with farmers for agriculture produce. In order to assist the States in liberalizing the agriculture market, to provide better access to farmers for marketing of their produce, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare had provided a model Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act, 2003 for adoption by States as agriculture marketing is a state subject. Model APMC Act, 2003 provides for contract farming provision.

 Under Ministry of Food Processing Industries’ PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA (PMKSY),  the Ministry has launched a new sub-scheme i.e. Scheme for Human Resources and Institution – Skill Development (SHRISD) for assisting skilling infrastructure and Development of Course Curriculum with a budget outlay of Rs.27.50 Crore from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

 The Scheme has Following two Components:-

1. Development of Course Curriculum / Training Module in English, Hindi and  translation of the same in recognized regional languages based on the Qualification Packs (QPs) validated by National Skill Development Corporation( (NSDC) as National Occupational Standards.

 Grants-In-Aid is provided to the eligible Institutions upto a maximum of  Rs.5.00 lakh per QP for development of training module both in print and Multi media for each job role and, up to a maximum of Rs. 0.50 lakh per QP is provided for the translation of already developed training modules in recognized regional languages as per 8^th schedule.

 2.  Establishing Training Centre (TC) / Expansion of Existing Training Centre to   impart skill/ training on various job roles in food processing as per National Skill Qualification Frame work (NSQF).

Grants-In-Aid is provided at the rate of 50% of cost of plant & machineries required for a National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) validated training module subject to maximum of Rs. 15 lakh per training module and limited to maximum two training modules per Training centre(TC).

Following Institutions / organizations are eligible to apply under the scheme-

i.    Recognized Central / state / Deemed Universities or its Department of Food Processing Technology.

ii.  Colleges / Institutions of Food Technology, affiliated with central / state Govt. Universities. 

iii.  Govt. approved Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs),

iv.   NABL accredited Food Labs,

i.  Training Centers affiliated to or accredited with Food Industry Capacity Skill Initiative (FICSI), National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) or State Skill Councils.

Ministry has finalized detailed Guidelines for the Scheme and has invited proposals from   eligible and interested Institutions / organizations.

This information was shared by the Minister of Food Processing Industries Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in Lok Sabha today.

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SBS/AK/rv