Big Boost To Food-Processing Sector: Govt Greenlights 27 New Integrated Cold Chain Projects Worth Rs 743 Crore

In a major boost for the food-processing sector, the government's Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee (IMAC) chaired by the Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday (1 September) approved the of 27 new integrated cold chain projects worth Rs 743 crore, reports Hindu Businessline.

The projects have been approved across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

The projects approved by the IMAC will witness the creation of cold chain facilities for the food processing sector under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) which is a dedicated scheme for establishing integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure.

Under the scheme, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries provides assistance in the form of grant-in-aid at the rate of 35 per cent for general areas, and 50 per cent for the North East States, Himalayan States, Integrated Tribal Development Projects areas and the Islands.

In addition to this, further assistance at 50 per cent and 75 per cent respectively are also provided by the ministry for value addition and processing infrastructure up to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs 10 crore per project.