MoFPI and MoAFW Launch Convergence Portal: Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) jointly launched a Convergence Portal for three flagships schemes at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi to boost the potential of India’s agriculture and food processing sector.

Key Points:

The convergence portal was launched as a part of its celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

It was launched between the following -

1. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF),
2. Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme
3. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was also issued with the objective of providing maximum benefits to the beneficiaries under AIF, PMFME and PMKSY.

Aim:

• The convergence portal aims to achieve the Prime Minister's dream of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat and will also boost the concept of ‘Vocal For Local’.
• Its aim is also to ensure effective collaboration between all ministries and departments and improving access to these schemes and creating positive impact for farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs of the food processing industry.

About the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF):

• Agriculture Infra Fund (AIF) is a financing facility launched in July 2020.
• The implementing agency is MoAFW.
• It was launched to improve post-harvest management infrastructure and community farm assets through benefits including 3% interest subvention and credit guarantee support.
• Under this, Rs 1 lakh crore from 2020-21 to 2025-26 provision of funds has been made and interest subvention and credit guarantee assistance will be given till the year 2032-33.
• The AIF has the facility of convergence with any other schemes implemented by states and central government, so as to optimize the benefits of multiple government schemes for a specific project.
• The commercial horticulture development and cold storage development schemes of the National Horticulture Board have already undergone AIF convergence under the Integrated Nutrient management (INM) Division fo MoAFW.

Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme:

• The PMFME scheme was launched on 29th June, 2020 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• The Nodal Ministry of this scheme is MoFPI.
• This scheme aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and promote formalization of the sector.
• It adopts the One District One Product (ODOP) approach to avail common services and marketing of products.
• It is to be implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with a total outlay of Rupees 10,000 crore.
• The scheme has a special focus on supporting Groups engaged in Agri-food processing such as Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY):

PMKSY is a Central Sector Scheme of the MoFPI envisaged as a comprehensive package that will result in the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.

It is an umbrella scheme, having sub-schemes like

1. Mega Food Parks.
2. Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure.
3. Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters.
4. Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages.
5. Creation/Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities.
6. Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure.
7. Human Resources and Institutions.

Under the scheme, there is a provision of 35% grant of Eligible Project Cost for General and 50% for SC/ST/Difficult Areas, subject to a maximum of Rs.5 crores to Rs.15 crores in terms of respective sub-scheme guidelines.