Lok Sabha Question No. 2041 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Processing of Potatoes
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: RAVNEET SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2041 ANSWERED ON 14 TH  MARCH, 2017

## PROCESSING OF POTATOES

## 2041. SHRI RAVNEET SINGH:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether agro-processing industries is procuring and processing potatoes in Punjab and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether these industries are Government owned or privately owned and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is taking initiative to set up more such units in Punjab so that potato farmers can get benefit  therefrom; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a)  &  (b):    Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  does  not  maintain  any  data  relating  to procurement and processing of potatoes by agro-processing industries.
- (c)  &  (d):  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  does  not  set  up  any  food  processing  units including  potato  processing  units  on  its  own  in  the  country.  However,  under  the  Scheme  for Technology Upgradation/ Establishment/ Modernization of Food Processing Industries implemented during 11 th Plan, the financial assistance has been provided for setting up of new food  processing  units  as  well  as  Technological  Upgradation  and  Expansion  of  existing  units including potato processing industries under Fruits & Vegetables sector in the country including Punjab.  This  scheme  was  subsequently  subsumed  in  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  (CSS)National  Mission  on  Food  Processing  (NMFP)  with  effect  from  01.04.2012  till  31.03.2015. Thereafter, the said scheme got delinked from Government of India's assistance and it was left to the  State  Governments  to  decide  on  its  continuance  from  their  increased  resources  as  per recommendation  of  14th  Finance  Commission.  The  committed/spillover  liabilities  of  cases received upto end of 11 th Plan are being considered by Ministry of Food Processing Industries for sanction of Grant - in - aid during the 12 th Plan under the said scheme as per availability of funds  and  merits  of  proposals.    The  details  of  Food  Processing  Industries  under  Fruits  &

Vegetable Sector including Potato processing units in Punjab assisted during last three years and current year as part of meeting committed liabilities of 11th Plan are shown below:

| 2013-14       | 2013-14         | 2014-15       | 2014-15         | 2015-16       | 2015-16         | 2016-17       | 2016-17         |
|---------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|
| No. of units. | Amount [in Cr.] | No. of units. | Amount [in Cr.] | No. of units. | Amount [in Cr.] | No. of units. | Amount [in Cr.] |
| 83            | 9.49            | 42            | 4.68            | 27            | 3.64            | 28            | 3.51            |

In  addition,  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  has  been  implementing  the  Mega Food Park Scheme and Scheme for Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation infrastructure through our scheme also assisting the processing units in Fruits & Vegetable sector including units for processing of potatoes.

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