Chirag Paswan Inaugurates Rs 2.35 Crore Food Processing Incubation Hub at Tezpur University

“India has the potential to emerge as a global food basket through enhanced production, quality, exports and promotion of regional food products,” Paswan said.

The Government of India has strengthened its push to promote food processing innovation and entrepreneurship with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Common Incubation Centre at Tezpur University in Assam’s Sonitpur district.

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan inaugurated the facility on 13 March 2026, established with 100% financial assistance from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme.

The Rs 2.35 crore incubation centre is designed as a modern food processing innovation hub that will support micro food processing enterprises, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs across the region.

Strengthening the Food Processing Ecosystem in the North-East

The facility forms part of the Centre’s broader strategy to expand food processing infrastructure in the North-Eastern Region, which the government views as a key growth frontier for agriculture-based industries.

Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Paswan highlighted the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship and value addition to agricultural produce in strengthening the country’s food processing sector.

He emphasised that the initiative will help build a robust food processing ecosystem while generating employment and boosting farmer incomes.

“India has the potential to emerge as a global food basket through enhanced production, quality, exports and promotion of regional food products,” Paswan said.

Modern Facility to Support Food Startups and Entrepreneurs

The incubation centre has been designed to help entrepreneurs develop, test and commercialise new food products.

The facility includes seven specialised processing and support lines covering key segments such as:

• Fruit processing

• Grain processing

• Spice processing

• Bakery and confectionery products

• Packaging and labelling support

• Quality testing and compliance assistance

The centre is expected to serve Sonitpur district and neighbouring districts including Darrang, Udalguri, Biswanath, Nagaon and Golaghat, creating a regional hub for food processing enterprise development.

Collaboration Between Government, Academia and Industry

The initiative represents a collaboration between government, academia and industry stakeholders, aimed at strengthening innovation and skills in the food processing sector.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several key officials, including:

• Prithiraj Rabha, MLA of Tezpur constituency

• D. Praveen, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries

• Prof. Amarendra Kumar Das, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Tezpur University

• Megha Nidhi Dahal, Managing Director, Assam Industrial Development Corporation

• Sazzad Alam, Additional Secretary, Government of Assam

• Ananda Kumar Das, District Commissioner

Technical Mentorship and Entrepreneur Support

Tezpur University’s Department of Food Engineering and Technology will play a central role in mentoring entrepreneurs using the facility.

According to Prof. Amarendra Kumar Das, the department will provide technical guidance in areas such as:

• Food processing technologies

• Product development

• Packaging and branding

• Labelling and regulatory compliance

• Food safety standards

He described the incubation centre as a significant step towards nurturing innovation-driven entrepreneurship in the region.

Encouraging Youth Entrepreneurship

Local MLA Prithiraj Rabha encouraged university students to pursue food processing and skill development courses, highlighting the sector’s potential to generate employment and support local economic growth.

He urged young people to become entrepreneurs and job creators, rather than job seekers.

PMFME Scheme Driving Growth in Micro Food Enterprises

The incubation centre is part of the PMFME Scheme launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, which focuses on strengthening micro food processing enterprises across the country.

According to Minister Paswan, the scheme has already delivered significant impact nationwide.

More than 1.87 lakh micro food processing enterprises have received loan approvals, benefiting FPOs, SHGs, cooperatives and farmers through financial assistance, training and market linkages.

The programme aims to strengthen value chains and reduce post-harvest losses through a “Farm to Fork” approach, improving food processing capacity and boosting farmer incomes.

Assam Positioned as Gateway to North-East Growth

Paswan described Assam as the gateway to the North-East, reiterating the government’s commitment to expanding food processing infrastructure across the region.

With abundant agricultural resources and growing entrepreneurial interest, the state is expected to play a key role in strengthening India’s food processing sector.

Expressing his vision for the industry, Paswan said he hopes to see Indian food products reaching dining tables worldwide.

“I want to see ‘Made in India’ food products on each and every dining table across the world,” he said.