Status of implementation of the PMFME Schemes under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package

As part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has launched an all India centrally sponsored scheme called ‘PM Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme’ for providing financial, technical and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises. It is to be implemented for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs.10,000 cr. The objectives of the scheme are to build the capability of two lakh micro-enterprises through increased access to credit, integration with organized supply chain by strengthening branding & marketing, increased access to common services, strengthening of institutions, research & training in the food processing sector.

The present status of implementation of the scheme is as under:

Setting up the Institutional Architecture:

1. A National Project Management Unit (NPMU) has been established.
2. All States/UTs have appointed Nodal Agency for implementing the Scheme.
3. All States/ UTs have constituted/ nominated State Level Approval Committee, District Level Committees and State Level Technical Institutions.
4. 20 States/ UTs have appointed agencies for conducting studies for  State Level Up-gradation Plan.

Groundwork for the scheme:

1. 1. ODOPs recommended by 35 States/ UTs for 137 unique products in 707 districts approved by the Ministry.
   2. Guidelines on Capacity Building Component, Establishment of Common Incubation Facility and  Implementation of Seed Capital Component have been issued.

Capacity Building:

Training modules for various food products have been prepared and uploaded on the websites of Ministry, NIFTEM & IIFPT.

Training of 334 Master Trainers has been conducted on EDP & various food products.177 District Level Trainers have been trained in 9 States.

MIS:

1. 1. Ministry has launched MIS portal for submission of applications from individual micro food processing enterprises on 25^th January, 2021.
   2. Online application module for groups i.e. SHGs, FPOs and Cooperatives for capital investment is under development phase.  Offline applications have been invited from 7^th January, 2021.

Convergence:

1. For convergence, Joint Letters signed with Ministry of Rural Development & Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
2. MoUs signed with ICAR, NCDC, TRIFED, NSFDC & NAFED.
3. Convergence Committee constituted for convergence with the schemes of Department of Fisheries and  Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

Financial Progress:

Under the First Supplementary Rs. 150 Cr has been allocated, out of which Rs.123.15 Cr (States -110.28 Cr, NIFTEM & IIFPT-10.00 Cr and OE/OAE/PS-2.87 Cr) have been released.

Further Rs. 250 Cr have been allocated under RE 2020-21.

MoU signed with the Union Bank of India as the Nodal Bank.  MoUs signed with 9 banks as lending banks.

Further, in the Operation Greens scheme of the Ministry, under short term price stabilization measures, during glut situation subsidy is provided at the rate of 50% for transportation and storage, for the evacuation of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) crops from production surplus areas to consumption centres.50% subsidy is provided on the movement of fruits and vegetables through Kisan Rails.

In pursuance of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, this subsidy has been extended from TOP crops to a total of 41 notified horticulture crops (TOTAL), if prices fall below the average prices for the last three years or 15% below of previous year’s price.

As on date, Rs. 1.58 cr has been released against 25 claims.Rs 15 crore have been spent on Kisan Rail subsidy under Operation Green.

The PMFME scheme aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises and support Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.

So far, 1534 applications from Individual Enterprises have been submitted through the MIS portal. District Resource Person/ District Level Committee of respective States/ UTs are scrutinizing these applications.

About 40,000 SHG members involved in food processing have been identified by SRLMs for Seed Capital. SRLM is scrutinizing/validating the details of SHG members. As per scheme guidelines, support for Seed Capitals will be provided to SHG members based on the recommendation of SRLM.

Applications have been invited from 7^th January, 2021 for groups i.e. SHGs, FPOs and Cooperatives for capital investment. The applications are under consideration with the States/ UTs.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.