Food Processing Industries Min inks MoUs with 5 institutions for PM FME scheme

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries on Friday signed an agreement with five institutions and cooperatives, including TRIFED and NAFED, for implementation of a micro food processing enterprises scheme. The government said that the MoU with TRIFED would help in branding of food products made by tribals under TRIFOOD, while the MoU with ICAR would help in sharing food processing technology, packaging and machinery developed in various organisations.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries on Friday signed an agreement with five institutions and cooperatives, including TRIFED and NAFED, for implementation of a micro food processing enterprises scheme. Further, the ministry signed an agreement with Union Bank of India as nodal bank for the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PM FME), which has a total outlay of Rs 10,000 crore, an official statement said. The ministry has also signed a 'Joint Communique' with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs which enables easier identification of tribal enterprises and groups in the food processing sector including minor forest produce. After signing the memorandum of agreements (MoUs), Food Processing Industries Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the MoFPI has made efforts to work in synergy with various departments for the benefit of common man. ''These MoUs would help in providing employment and improving quality of life through schemes of the government in priority areas,'' Tomar said and hoped that all organisations would function in a better way through these MoUs and people will get trained and would come forward for food production. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda and Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Rameswar Teli were also present in the meeting. The five MoUs were inked with TRIFED(Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), ICAR( Indian Council of Agricultural Research), NSFDC(National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation), NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. ) and NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation). Gehlot Rs 800 crores will be available for scheduled caste people under the PM FME scheme, while Munda said that it is a great opportunity to make the country strong in view of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Teli said that these 5 MoUs will open new avenues and would lead to greater coordination and team work. The government said that the MoU with TRIFED would help in branding of food products made by tribals under 'TRIFOOD', while the MoU with ICAR would help in sharing food processing technology, packaging and machinery developed in various organisations. Whereas the MoU with NSFDC would enable capacity building, training, research and development of SC entrepreneurs, SHGs and other groups in the food processing sector. The MoU with NAFED would help in developing new brands for 'NAFED FOOD' products, while that of NCDC would help in preparing projects and detailed project reports of members of cooperative societies in the food processing sector. Union Bank of India would help in transferring the subsidy received from the Centre and states into loan accounts.