20 projects leveraging an investment of Rs 363.40 crore supported with a grant of Rs 102.81 cr under the scheme for creation for infrastructure for APC (agro-processing cluster) & the scheme for creation and expansion of food processing and preservation capacities (CEFPPC) under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana were approved by the Inter Ministerial Approval Committee (IMAC) chaired by Narendra Singh Tomar, Food Processing minister.
'The ventures are likely to build jobs for nearly 11,960 individuals and support 42,800 growers. Project proposals accepted at the IMAC meetings are projected to lift the level of processing and value added of horticulture and agricultural goods, resulting in increased farmers' incomes and job creation at the local level,' Tomar said.
Under the CEFPPC, 11 projects with overall project cost of Rs 113.08 crore including grants-in-aid of Rs 36.30 crore will come in the states of Manipur, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra , and Himachal Pradesh. Since 2017, the scheme has been approved to facilitate the production and storage of agro-food products and the modernization and upgrade of food processing capability.
This would assist in rising the amount of manufacturing and adding value, while reducing agro-production waste. In addition, under the APC Infrastructure Development program, entrepreneurs would be allowed to set up food processing units based on a cluster strategy.
Under these nine projects in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Rajasthan, the overall project expense of Rs 250.32 crore including grants-in-aid of Rs 66.61 crore has been approved.
