Union Govt to implement SAMPADA scheme for food processing sector at Rs 6000 Cr cost

New Delhi: Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries is taking steps to implement a new scheme, Scheme for Agro-Marine produce Processing and Development of Agro-clusters (SAMPADA) for overall development of food processing sector, for providing enabling infrastructure, expanding processing and preservation capacities, controlled temperature logistics and backward and forward linkages with an allocation of Rs.6000 Crore for a period co-terminus with 14^th finance commission, the ministry said in a year end release.

The National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) at Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana and Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu are being developed by the government as the centres of excellence. The pass-outs of these institutes have got 100% placements. Also, a web-based on-line system has been operationalised for processing claims for release of grants-in-aid under the schemes of Mega Food Parks and the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure.