The Maharashtra Government in the month of December decided to implement the National Mission on Food Processing which is directed to enhance the standard of small food processing units in the State.
The mission is a Centrally-sponsored programme and it is going to provide micro credit, facilitate technology transfer and handhold the units in building capacity. It will also undertake skill upgradation through institutional training, which is meant to ensure sustainable employment opportunities to the people.
The basic purpose of the programme is decentralisation of implementation of schemes through participation by State governments which also aims to reduce the gap in requirement and availability of skilled manpower in the food processing sector.
The State Cabinet on 27 December 2012 approved the programme and appointed Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation as the nodal body for implementing it.
Under the scheme, the Centre provides 75 per cent while state's share is 25 per cent. For the current fiscal, the State Government made a provision of 5.5 crore rupees for the mission, while the Centre would be providing 16.5 crore Rupees.
Sectors in food processing such as fruits and vegetables, milk products, meat, poultry, fishery, oilseeds products, rice milling, pulse processing and other agri-horticultural sectors such as food flavours and colours, oleoresins (plant extracts) and spices would be covered under the programme.
The chief secretary of Maharashtra is going to oversee the programme implantation in the state.
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