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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1929
ANSWERED ON 30TH JULY, 2026
MARKETING OF MAKHANA IN MITHILA REGION
1929. SHRI GOPAL JEE THAKUR:
Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has launched any special scheme for processing,
storage, packaging, value addition and marketing of Makhana in the Mithila region of
Bihar particularly in Darbhanga district;
(b) if so, the details of the projects sanctioned along with the funds allocated and their
present progress in Darbhanga district and Bihar during the last three years; and
(c) whether the Government is considering to set up modern makhana processing
units, testing laboratories, packaging centres and export-oriented infrastructure in
Mithila region particularly in Darbhanga and if so, the details thereof along with the
time by which it is likely to be set up?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI CHIRAG PASWAN)
(a) to (c): In order to ensure overall development of food processing sector, Ministry of Food
Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been incentivizing setting up/expansion of related
infrastructure including processing of Makhana through its two Central Sector Schemes
namely Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) and Production Linked Incentive
Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and a Centrally sponsored scheme PM
Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME). These schemes are demand
driven and implemented across the country including Darbhanga district of Bihar.
To promote local industries, One District One Product (ODOP) approach under
PMFME Scheme has been adopted to reap the benefit of scale in terms of procurement of
inputs, availing common services and marketing of products. It provides the framework for
value chain development and alignment of support infrastructure. Under PMFME Scheme,
Makhana has been identified as ODOP for Darbhanga, Araria, Katihar, Madhubani, Saharsa &
Supaul districts of Bihar. As on 30.06.2026, 315 micro food processing enterprises have been
approved in Bihar for makhana processing, with approved subsidy of Rs 12.77 crore, out of
which 97 micro food processing enterprises, with subsidy of Rs 2.71 crore are from Darbhanga
district.
MoFPI does not setup any food processing Industries on its own. However, it
incentivizes setting up of such industries including processing of Makhana through its schemes.
One project related to processing of Makhana has been approved with approved grants in aid
of Rs 5 crore in Araria district of Bihar under Creation / Expansion of Food Processing &
Preservation Capacities Scheme (CEFPPC), a component scheme of PMKSY.
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