Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)

Why in news?

• Central government recently approved a grant of Rs 107.42 crore for implementing 28 food processing projects spread over 10 states that are likely to generate jobs for nearly 10,000 people.

About the scheme:

• It is a Central Sector Scheme – Pradhan mantri kisan sampada yojana (PMKSY)with an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crores for the period 2016-20.
• It is an umbrella scheme implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries and aims at increasing value addition in agricultural sector.
• The scheme is expected to benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate 5,30,500 direct/ indirect employments by the year 2019-20.
• The PMKSY has the following schemes:
  • Mega Food Parks
  • Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
  • Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities
  • Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters
  • Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
  • Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure
  • Human Resources and Institutions
• Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) had sanctioned 39 Mega Food Parks and 298 Integrated Cold Chain Projects throughout the country as of February 2020 under the scheme.

Important Sub-schemes:

• Scheme of Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure
  • It is to provide integrated cold chain and preservation infrastructure facilities, without any break, from the farm gate to the consumer.
  • It covers creation of infrastructure facility along the entire supply chain viz. pre-cooling, weighing, sorting, grading, waxing facilities at farm level, multi product/ multi temperature cold storage, CA storage, packing facility, IQF, blast freezing in the distribution hub and reefer vans, mobile cooling units for facilitating distribution of horticulture, organic produce, marine, dairy, meat and poultry et
• Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters
  • The scheme aims at development of modern infrastructure and common facilities to encourage group of entrepreneurs to set up food processing units based on cluster approach by linking groups of producers/ farmers to the processors and markets through well-equipped supply chain with modern infrastructure.
  • Each agro processing clusters under the scheme have two basic components i.e. Basic Enabling Infrastructure (roads, water supply, power supply, drainage, ETP etc.), Core Infrastructure/ Common facilities (ware houses, cold storages, IQF, tetra pack, sorting, grading etc) and at least 5 food processing units with a minimum investment of Rs. 25 crore.
  • The units are set up simultaneous along with creation of common infrastructure.
  • At least 10 acres of land is required to be arranged either by purchase or on lease for at least 50 years for setting up of Agro Processing Cluster.
• Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
  • The objective of the scheme is to provide effective and seamless backward and forward integration for processed food industry by plugging the gaps in supply chain in terms of availability of raw material and linkages with the market.
  • Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided for setting up of primary processing centers/ collection centers at farm gate and modern retail outlets at the front end along with connectivity through insulated/ refrigerated transport.
  • The scheme is implemented by agencies/ organizations such as Govt./ PSUs/ Joint Ventures/ NGOs/ Cooperatives/ SHGs / FPOs / Private Sector / individuals etc.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements:
1.Codex Alimentarius is food safety standard developed by FSSAI for food processing sector in India.
2.Indian government has an aim to double milk processing in India by 2025.
Which among the above statements is/are correct?
(a)1 only 
(b)2 only 
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question