AMN /NEW DELHI
The government has approved setting up of a total 42 Mega Food Parks in the country to create modern infrastructure for food processing.
Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that nine Mega Food Parks have become functional so far and Ministry has targeted to make six more Mega Food Parks functional in this financial year and 12 by the next financial year.
She said Mega Food Park has helped in creating demand for farmers’ produce, better remuneration, increasing level of processing and value addition, reducing wastage and creating opportunities, directly and indirectly, befitting thousands of farmers and youths.
The Scheme of Mega Food Park aims at providing a mechanism to link agricultural production to the market by bringing together farmers, processors and retailers so as to ensure maximizing value addition, minimizing wastage, increasing farmers’ income and creating employment opportunities particularly in rural sector. The Mega Food Park Scheme is based on “Cluster” approach and envisages creation of state of art support infrastructure in a well-defined agri/ horticultural zone for setting up of modern food processing units along with well-established supply chain. Mega food park typically consist of supply chain infrastructure including collection centers, primary processing centers, central processing centers, cold chain and around 30-35 fully developed plots for entrepreneurs to set up food processing units .
The Mega Food Park project is implemented by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which is a Body Corporate registered under the Companies Act. However, State Government, State Government entities and Cooperatives are not required to form a separate SPV for implementation of Mega Food Park project. Subject to fulfillment of the conditions of the Scheme Guidelines, the funds are released to the SPVs.