As many as 1,772 micro food processing enterprises are coming up in Madhya Pradesh. These have been approved for loans under the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme. The highest number 116 enterprises will be set up in Gwalior. Khargone is second with 100 enterprises, while 47 enterprises will be established in Rewa, 23 in Balaghat, 27 in Tikamgarh, and 22 in Hoshangabad.
It is worth noticing here that a total of 10,664 entrepreneurs had applied for loans. After scrutiny, 1,772 were found eligible for loans. The remaining applications are being considered at various levels. The Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of this opportunity.
Salient Features
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries, in collaboration with the state government, has launched the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme to provide financial, technical, and business support to micro food processing enterprises. The scheme focuses on training, imparting technical knowledge related to food safety standards and hygiene, and capacity building for quality improvement.
Interested individuals are provided assistance in documentation for getting bank loans and setting up recurring deposits (RDs). Support is also provided for capital investment, infrastructure, branding, and marketing to farmer producer organizations and self-help groups.
Individual enterprises can avail of a 35% credit-linked capital subsidy, with a maximum subsidy of up to Rs. 10 lakh. Beneficiaries are required to contribute 10% of the total project cost while the remaining amount is the bank loan. Working capital is also available for self-help groups. Priority will be given to “one-district-one-product” based enterprises.
Betul Figures Prominently
The Ministry has enlisted the best micro food processing enterprises. The successful venture of Betul district’s Jamuna Self-Help Group Khaparkheda village in MandaiKhurd Gram Panchayat figures in the list. The group members received training in food processing and started making mango pickle. They began selling their product in the local market, leading to a monthly income of Rs. 1000. As their confidence grew, they ventured into producing organic pesticides such as neem oil, dashparni extract, and jeevanamrit. Their income increased to Rs. 5,000 to 10,000. Two years ago, Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University Jabalpur felicitated SHG member Lakshmi Parate, as Utrusht Mahila Samman. Another member, Mamta Dhurve, received the Best Woman Farmer award from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Betul for the year 2020-21.
