**Summary:**
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements a Research and Development (RD) Scheme as part of the Human Resource Institutions Scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY). This scheme provides financial assistance in the form of Grant-in-Aid to public and private institutions, including Universities, IITs, Central/State Government Institutions, Government-funded organizations, RD laboratories, and CSIR-recognized RD units in the private sector. The aim is to promote demand-driven RD in the food processing sector, leading to product and process development, efficient technologies, improved packaging, and value addition with commercial value. The scheme also focuses on standardizing factors such as additives, coloring agents, preservatives, pesticide residues, chemical contaminants, microbiological contaminants, and naturally occurring toxic substances within permissible limits.
Government organizations/institutions are eligible for 100% Grant-in-Aid for equipment, consumables, and Research Fellow expenditures. Private organizations/universities/institutions/RD laboratories and CSIR-recognized RD units in the private sector can receive up to 50% of equipment cost in general areas and 70% in difficult areas. The Expression of Interest (EOI) is open to all communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Class communities.
Since 2008-09, a total of 236 RD projects have been sanctioned under the scheme, with 225 completed. These projects have resulted in 20 patents filed and 52 new technologies commercialized/transferred for products, processes, equipment/prototypes developed.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Shri Ravneet Singh, in a written reply in Lok Sabha on August 7, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Food Processing Industries: The Indian governmental ministry responsible for food processing industries.
PMKSY: Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, an umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
Research and Development Scheme: A scheme implemented by MoFPI, part of the Human Resource Institutions Scheme under PMKSY, providing financial assistance for research and development in the food processing sector.
IITs: Indian Institutes of Technology, higher education institutes in India.
CSIR: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, a research and development organisation in India.
Lok Sabha: The Lower House of the Parliament of India.
Shri Ravneet Singh: Minister of State for Food Processing Industries.
Delhi: Delhi, a city and union territory of India.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries
R&D Initiatives for Developing Food Processing
Technologies
PMKSY’s R&D Scheme Fuels Innovation with Focus
on Demand-Driven Research in Food Processing
Sector
MoFPI Extends Grant-in-Aid to Public and Private
Institutions to Advance R&D in Food Processing
Nationwide
Posted On: 07 AUG 2025 2:52PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) does not undertake Research and development work on
its own. However, MoFPI is implementing a Research and Development Scheme, which is a part of Human
Resource & Institutions Scheme under the umbrella scheme i.e. Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana
(PMKSY). Under the scheme, financial assistance as Grant-in-aid is given to various Universities, IITs,
Central/ State Government Institutions, Government funded organizations, R&D laboratories and CSIR
recognized R&D units in private sector to promote and undertake demand driven R&D work in food
processing sector. The objective of the scheme is to benefit food processing industry in terms of product and
process development, efficient technologies, improved packaging, value addition etc. with commercial value
along with standardization of various factors viz. additives, colouring agents, preservatives, pesticide
residues, chemical contaminants, microbiological contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances
within permissible limits.
Under the scheme, R&D projects of Government organizations/ Institutions are eligible for 100%
grant-in-aid for the cost of equipment, consumables and expenditure related to Research Fellows,
etc& Private organizations/universities/institutions/R&D laboratories and CSIR recognized R&D
units in private sector to the tune of 50% of equipment cost in general areas and 70% in difficult
areas. Universities, IITs, central and state government institutions, and government-funded
organizations are encouraged to promote and undertake demand-driven R&D in the food
processing sector.
Under the R&D scheme, the Expression of Interest (EOI) is open for all communities including
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other Backward Class communities. However, there is no
specific provision in the guidelines, for products tailored/designed to address the needs of
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or Other Backward Class communities.
Under the R&D scheme, since 2008-09 total of 236 R&D projects have been sanctioned, of which
225 have been completed and a total of 20 patents have been filed out of R&D projects sanctioned
so far. Further 52 new technologies have been commercialized/transferred for products, processes
& equipment/prototypes developed.This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Shri Ravneet
Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
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STK
(Release ID: 2153498)