With the industry of North-East demanding that the criteria of setting up mega food parks be relaxed so that few could be set up in the region, Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today assured to look into the demand.
As per the present criteria of the Union food processing ministry, to set up a mega food park, the minimum land size has to be 50 acres. However, the industry of the region is of the view that given the topography of the region, large swaths of land would not be available and hence such food parks cannot be established in North-East.
They want the Union food processing ministry to relax the land requirement criteria to 10 acres for the region. At an interactive session with industry people, under the banner of the region's apex industry body - Federation of Industry and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER), the Union minister said: "I would surely look into the demand of the region's industry and relax the criteria to 10 to 15 acres for North-East." However, she also added that to bring a North-East specific scheme to promote setting up of food processing industries in the region, the Union food processing would need funds and thus will have to wait for approval of the finance ministry. "I have already written to the finance ministry and am waiting for the finance ministry to clear funds for bringing in a North-East specific scheme to promote food processing industries," Badal added.
Though the region is rich in horticulture produce, due to lack of adequate post harvest infrastructure post harvest losses are very high in North-East.
Lack of market led production, inadequate all-weather road network, lack of post-harvest infrastructure like cold storages and lack of proper processing industries are the deficiencies highlighted by the industry people during the course of the interactive session. Badal, who was on her maiden visit to the region as the present food processing minister, said: "I have been given a clear mandate by my government to promote food processing sector. I came down to North-East as I know this area has potential and I wanted to understand the problems first hand from you."
On hearing from industry people during the course of the interactive session that getting government financial assistances were cumbersome, she was seen directing her officials to take note of the issues and ease the complexities.
On a specific plea by a local industry person on difficulties faced by him on comprehending few forms, the Union minister took note of it and assured to soon change the language of the form and make it industry friendly.
