Parliament Question: Food Processing Infrastructure in Eastern India

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 765 ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2026 FOOD PROCESSING INFRASTRUCTURE IN EASTERN INDIA

765. SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

(a) the details of mega food parks, cold chain projects and agro-processing clusters set up or approved by the Union Government in the country during the last three years;

(b) whether the Government has assessed the availability and development status of food processing infrastructure in the States of Eastern India, including Bihar and if so, whether any regional imbalance has been observed in these States compared to other regions and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the schemes or concrete initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry to promote value addition of agricultural products, incentives for farmer producer organizations and rural employment generation in backward and agrarian regions.? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)

(a): The details of cold chain projects and agro-processing clusters sanctioned under PMKSY across the country over the last three years are provided in the Annexure. The Mega Food Park (MFP) scheme has been discontinued with effect from 01.04.2021.

(b): The Ministry has undertaken an assessment of the infrastructure and logistics requirements of the food processing sector through the study titled "Assessment of the Infrastructure and Logistics Requirements of India's Food Processing Sector", 2025. The study evaluates the status of key infrastructure required for the sector, encompassing cold chain, warehousing, transportation, and logistics, and identifies major infrastructure gaps that require investment to support the sector's growth. However, the study does not detail any regional imbalance in food processing infrastructure, specifically with regard to the Eastern States, including Bihar, as compared to other regions.

(c): MoFPI is actively engaged in strengthening and promoting food processing and its related infrastructure throughout the country, operating through its Central Sector schemes— namely the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) and the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)—alongside the Centrally sponsored PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme. All of these aredemand-driven initiatives, expressly designed to create modern food processing infrastructure and establish efficient supply chain management that spans from the farm gate right up to the retail outlet. In fulfilling these objectives, the schemes collectively work to secure better returns for farmers, generate substantial employment opportunities across the nation—including in backward and agrarian regions—reduce the wastage of agricultural produce, enhance overall productivity, and raise the level of processing. As a direct consequence, these efforts boost the rural economy and make a meaningful contribution to inclusive and balanced growth.

To enhance Farmer-Producer linkages, the following special benefits in financial assistance are

provided to FPO category applicants under PMKSY: i. Grants-in-aid in form of subsidy @ 50% of eligible project cost as compared to 35% in general / difficult areas and in case of Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure

(FSQAI) scheme the subsidy/grant-in-aid is @70% as compared to 50% in General areas; ii. Lower Equity Contribution – 10% required as against 20% for others; iii. Lower minimum credit/loan requirement – 10% required as against 20% for others;

and iv. Lower Net-worth requirement i.e. equal to grant-in-aid sought, in comparison to 1.5 times for General Category applicant.

Under the Promotional Activities scheme of MoFPI, the Ministry has extended financial assistance to various eligible organizations for organizing 48 events — comprising seminars, workshops, conferences, exhibitions — across the country during 2025, with the objectives of promoting value addition of agricultural products, providing incentives for farmer producer organizations, and creating awareness among private sector stakeholders, including small and marginal farmers, about the various schemes offered by the Ministry.

*****ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 765 on the subject "Food Processing Infrastructure in Eastern India" due for answer on 23.07.2026 Details of Cold Chain projects approved under PMKSY during last three years F.Y. Approved Project Approved Grant Released Grant-in-aid (Rs. in Cr) Projects Cost (in Cr.) -in-aid (Rs. in Cr) 2023-24 25 977.05 191.84 79.45 2024-25 0 0 0 0 2025-26 35 1291.97 288.08 6.57 TOTAL 60 2269.02 479.92 86.02 Details of Agro processing Clusters approved under PMKSY during last three years F.Y. Approved Project Approved Grant Released Grant-in-aid (Rs. in Cr) Projects Cost in (Cr.) -in-aid (Rs. in Cr) 2023-24 8 259.79 78.20 22.43 2024-25 0 0 0 0 2025-26 11 380.43 97.65 0 TOTAL 19 640.22 175.85 22.43 *****