Mega Food Park scheme

News:Union Minister for Food processing has inaugurated the first Mega Food Park in Telangana.

Facts:

About Mega Food Park Scheme:

• Mega Food Park is a scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India.
• Aim: To provide a mechanism to bring together farmers, processors and retailers and link agricultural production to the market so as to ensure maximization of value addition, minimization of wastages and improving farmers’ income.
• These food parks give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables.
• The financial assistance under the scheme is provided in the form of grant-in-aid at 50% of eligible project cost in general areas and at 75% of eligible project cost in North East Region and difficult areas (Hilly States and ITDP areas) subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 crore per project. 

Components of the scheme

• The scheme is based on a cluster based approach based on a hub and spokes model.
• The scheme includes creation of  Collection Centres(CCs), Primary Processing Centers(PPCs), Central Processing Center(CPC) and Cold Chain infrastructure.
• The PPCs are meant for functioning as a link between the producers and processors for supply of raw material to the Central Processing Centres.
• CPC has need based core processing facilities and basic enabling infrastructure to be used by the food processing units setup at the CPC.
• The scheme is demand-driven and would facilitate food processing units to meet environmental, safety and social standards.