Since the inception of its component schemes, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) has benefited around 29 lakh farmers, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, responded to a query from Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vikas Mahatme on the number of farmers who had benefited directly and indirectly under the PMKSY umbrella.
In a written response to another question concerning the amount of food parks, cold chain facilities, and clusters built under the PMKSY banner, the Minister stated that there are already 20 completed / operational Mega Food Parks across India, with another 41 being sanctioned.
In the country, 258 Integrated Cold Chains have been finished or are operating, while 349 have been sanctioned. There are 12 completed / operational units in the Agro Processing clusters, and 68 more have been sanctioned.
According to Patel, the Food Processing Industries Ministry did an evaluation study for PMKSY component schemes that are relevant.
"The component schemes have mostly fulfilled their objectives with great benefit to the farmers," Patel remarked.
According to Patel, an evaluation study of the PMKSY's integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure scheme, conducted by NABARD Consultancy Limited in 2020, estimated that captive projects under the scheme resulted in a 12.38 percent increase in farm-gate prices, with each project benefiting on average more than 9,500 farmers.
The cabinet authorised PMKSY in May 2017 for the period 2016-20, which corresponds to the 14th Finance Commission cycle.
It's an umbrella scheme that includes existing programmes like Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value-Added Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, and new programmes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Backward and Forward Linkages, and Food Processing and Preservation Volume Creation or Expansion.
PMKSY's mission is to augment agriculture, modernise processing, and reduce agri-waste.
By the financial year 2025-2026, PMKSY is estimated to attract Rs 11.095 crore in investment, which would help 28,49,945 farmers and produce 5,44,432 direct and indirect jobs in the country.
