National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) at Kundli, Haryana and Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu which are autonomous institutes under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries have collaborated with several educational and research institutions including in Karnataka to strengthen academics, research and capacity-building initiatives in the food processing sector. NIFTEM-Thanjavur has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shimoga, CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru and other Universities in the State of Karnataka. NIFTEM-Thanjavur has also conducted short term courses on Cold Chain Management.

The component schemes – Creation of Infrastructure for Agro Processing Clusters (APC) and Infrastructure Integrated Cold Chain and Value addition of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) are demand driven and proposals are invited from time to time, from across the country including Bengaluru and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka to support setting up of integrated cold chain / agro-processing cluster projects. These projects help in creation of infrastructural facilities with an aim to increasing shelf-life, generating employment opportunities and benefitting farmers by enhancing their income.

Preference is given to proposals under APC scheme which are to be set up in agri-horti clusters identified from time to time by Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), APEDA etc.

Ministry has got conducted a third-party impact evaluation study for Agro-Processing Clusters and Cold Chain infrastructure. This study has endorsed the performance of Cold Chain and APC schemes and recommended for their continuation to meet out the gap existing between the available post-harvest infrastructure and the required facilities.

Under Cold Chain and Agro Processing Cluster schemes any entity including farmers and FPOs are eligible to apply and avail the benefits of the scheme. Till date, one project has been approved in Bengaluru region thereby benefiting 600 farmers.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries  Shri Ravneet Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****

STK

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2202292) आगंतुक पटल : 248