By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 2 Nov: The first meeting of the state level approval committee of the Prime Minister’s Micro Food Industry Upgradation Scheme was held at the Secretariat on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Om Prakash.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed that products be selected under the scheme specifically connected with the particular districts. He added that, as the Kumaon region was a surplus region with respect to milk products, milk products could also be among the focus products there. He said that Himalayan items be specifically promoted under this scheme. The Chief Secretary said that area specific products be focused upon so that a niche market for these products could be created. He noted that Almora’s khumani (Apricot) was very famous, so pickles or jams made from it could also be included in the list from Almora. He also emphasised the inclusion of trout fish processing in Chamoli under the One District One Product Scheme.
It was stated at the meeting that, under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan of the Government of India, financial assistance would be provided in the ratio of 90:10 by the Centre and the state, respectively, under the Prime Minister Micro Food Enterprise Upgradation Scheme funded by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.
Under the scheme, the unorganised sector of food processing industries is expected to increase the competitiveness of the existing private micro-industry and encourage formalisation of the sector into an organised one. A total of 1501 micro food enterprises in the state are to be developed in 5 years (2020-21 to 2024-25) under this scheme. It was also stressed that along with this, the scheme also aimed to provide assistance to farmer production organisations (FPOs), self-help groups (SHGs) and producer cooperatives for their entire value chain. Under the scheme, it was aimed to build capacity of entrepreneurs through technical knowledge, skill training and hand-holding support services, as well as to provide loans to existing micro food processing entrepreneurs for technology upgradation, to provide benefit of shared services to micro industries, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), self-help groups (SHGs), producer cooperatives and cooperatives in their entire value chain, strengthening branding and marketing of existing enterprises towards a formal framework for various government registrations. The main objectives of the scheme were to create an organised supply chain. Secretary, Harbans Singh Chugh and other members of the committee were also present in the meeting.