SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) is a Central Sector Scheme introduced by the Government of India in 2017.Later it was renamed as “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana“. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and has an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crores for the period 2016-20 co-terminus with the 14th Finance Commission cycle.
A brief overview
Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food or one form of food into other forms. Some methods include Canning, Fermentation, Freezing, Pasteurization, Adding additives, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Smoking, and Making Food Edible. Processing food makes it more edible, palatable, and safe and preserves it so it can be eaten beyond the harvest season. It offers great variety in food choices, increases consumer choice, and makes agricultural produce export friendly.
What is it about?
PMKSY is a comprehensive package that aims at the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet. Its objective is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri -waste. It aims to give a big boost to growth in the food processing sector, provide better returns to farmers, help to double farmers’ income, create huge employment opportunities, especially in rural areas, increase the processing level and export of processed foods and reduce wastage of agricultural commodities.
It is an umbrella scheme that powers ongoing schemes of the Ministry of Food Processing like Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, and also has new schemes like Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, etc.
Salient features
An allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore has been made in the PM Kisan Sampada Yojana. It is expected to leverage an investment of Rs 31,000 crore, and handle about 300 lakh metric tons of agro produce valuing Rs. 1 lakh crore. It is expected to benefit about 20 lakh farmers and generate 5.3 lakh direct and indirect employment.
Capital subsidy in the form of grants-in-aid is provided to investors, ranging from 35 % to 75% of eligible project cost, subject to a maximum specified limit under various schemes of PMKSY. This is provided for undertaking infrastructure and logistic projects and setting up food processing units in the country.
Nature of the scheme
Schemes under the PMKSY are Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure, Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters, Food Safety & Quality Assurance Infrastructure, Human Resource and Institutions, Agro-Processing Clusters, Scheme for Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Operation Greens and more.
In 2020, the Ministry sanctioned 32 new projects worth Rs. 400 crore spread across 17 States. These focus on Employment Generation (especially in rural areas), Modern Processing Techniques (to improve the shelf life of Agriculture produce and ensure a stable income for farmers), and Value of the Food Processing Market in India (expected to experience growth due to urbanization and export).
The ministry has approved the establishment of 42 Mega Food Parks and about 236 Integrated Cold Chains to create modern infrastructure. The scheme will identify Agro clusters and offer subsidies, bringing down post-harvest wastages in losses preferably to zero levels. It is also plugging gaps in the supply chain, modernizing existing food processing units, creating new processing and preservation capacities, increasing farmers’ income, and stimulating the export of processed food.