New Delhi: Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal talked on a host of issues.
Excerpts:
On employment generation
For the next five years employment generation is going to be the focus of the Ministry of Food Processing Industry, especially in rural areas. This will ensure that children of farmers do not have to look for employment elsewhere. Our focus is to turn farmers into job creators from being job seekers. Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) is expected to benefit 20 lakh farmers in the country and create nearly 5.5 lakh direct and indirect jobs by 2020.
On Gram Samriddhi Yojana
The Gram Samriddhi Yojana in association with Bank is going to be launched soon. The programme will focus on micro enterprises with capitalisation of less than 10 lakh rupees. The aim is to target small farmers and the Ministry will aim to facilitate creation of 60 to 70 thousand such units within a short time. The pilot project will be done in four states and initiative will be expanded subsequently.
On generating fund for the food processing sector
The Ministry of Food Processing Industry is exploring alternative sources of revenue. NBFC to provide funds for Food Processing Sector is our focus at the moment. I will also push for a National Food Processing Policy which I had presented in the previous government.
On World Food India
World Food India 2019 will be the biggest gathering of all global and domestic stakeholders in Food Processing Sector. WFI 2019 will be held from 1 November to 4 November, in New Delhi and will position India as food processing destination of the World. World Food India 2019 shall consist of several top level seminars, investment opportunities, exhibitions, high level CEO roundtables, country sessions, B2B and B2G networking etc. For the year 2019, the Ministry is targeting to partner with at least 15 countries and participation from at least 80 countries.