DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

The food processing sector is turning out to be a lucrative sector for entrepreneurs. On July 15, by Minister for Food Processing Industries Subodh Kant Sahai had declared that his ministry will help set up 350 food processing units in the next 100 days as part of its plan to create 1 crore jobs by 2015 with an investment of Rs. 1 lakh crore. Other key declarations were:

• The Ministry intends to commission a study to ascertain the requirements for trained manpower in the industry. It will also prepare a blueprint for training 10 lakh skilled workers and 5 lakh women entrepreneurs within the next 5 years.

• The first phase of the National Institute of Food Technology, Enterpreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) will be inaugurated during the next 100 days.

• The first phase of upgraded Indian institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), Thanjavur which is taking shape as an “International Centre of Excellence” will also be inaugurated soon.

• The Ministry will also commission two integrated cold chain projects and the first processing unit in the country’s first Mega Food Park.

 Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha recently, he had informed that during the 11th Five Year Plan, a total of 141 foreign direct investments were made in this sector amounting to $171.72 million. Of this, 48 inflows worth $28.73 million were in Maharashtra region, comprising of Maharashtra, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Damn & Diu.

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