Lok Sabha Question No. 412 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Radiation Processing Technology
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: DHARMENDRA YADAV, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 412

ANSWERED ON-18 TH  JULY, 2017

## RADIATION PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

## 412. SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV: SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

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

- (a) Whether the Government proposes to use Radiation Processing Technology developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC) for the preservation  of fruits and vegetables including onions, potatoes and tomatoes  in order to solve the problem of shortage in their supply and the consequent price rise and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) Whether the Government has conducted any study about security concerns with regard to Radiation Processing Technology and if so, the outcome thereof;
- (c) Whether the places have been identified for setting up Radiation Processing Plants in the country particularly  Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra;
- (d) The expenditure likely to be incurred thereon; and
- (e) The time by which the said Radiation Processing Plants are likely to be set up?

## ANSWER

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

(a & b): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing a scheme for Integrated Cold Chain  and  Value  Addition  Infrastructure  with  the  objective  of  preventing  post-harvest  losses  of horticultural & non-horticultural produce. One of the components of the Cold Chain scheme is the setting up of Irradiation facilities for preservation of the food products including onion, potato etc., Irradiated  food  is  regulated  in  the  country  in  accordance  with  the    Atomic  Energy  (Radiation Processing of Food & Allied Products) Rules 2012 and Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Food can be irradiated only in a food irradiation plant, which is authorized by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and licensed by the competent Government  Authority.  The  license  to  carry  out  food  irradiation  operation  is  given  only  after ascertaining  the  safety  and  security  of  the  installation,  its  suitability  to  ensure  proper  process control,  and  availability  of  licensed  operators  and  qualified  staff.  Board  of  Radiation  &  Isotope Technology (BRIT) is providing consultancy services for establishment of  food irradiation plant. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is also regulating the food safety aspects of irradiated  food  products  under  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2016  and  its  Regulations thereunder.

(c  &  d):  Under  the  scheme  for  Integrated  Cold  Chain  and  Value  Addition    Infrastructure,  the Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @ 35% for general areas and @ 50% for North East  States,  Himalayan  States,  ITDP  areas  and  Islands  for  storage  and  transport infrastructure and @ 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject  to  a  maximum  grant-in-aid  of  Rs.  10  crore  for  setting  up  integrated  cold  chain  projects including  irradiation  facility.  The  scheme  is  primarily  private  sector  driven  and  proposals  under this scheme are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI).The entrepreneurs/ promoters are free to  set  up  Irradiation  facility  as  per  their  business  model  and  financial  capability  throughout  the country  including  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Maharashtra.  The  Ministry  has  approved  04  irradiation projects  under  the  Scheme.  A  total  grant  of  Rs.  23.29  crore  has  been  approved  for  these  four projects with total project cost of Rs.68.54 crore. Out of these four irradiation projects assisted by Ministry,  one  project  is  located  in  Uttar  Pradesh  and  remaining  three  are  one  each  in  Haryana, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

(e): As per revised operational scheme guidelines issued on 29.08.2016 for Integrated Cold Chain and  Value  Addition  Infrastructure  the  implementation  schedule  for  setting  up  the  cold  chain projects including Irradiation projects is 20 months in General Areas and 24 months in North-East States,  Himalayan  States,  ITDP  Areas  and  Islands  from  the  date  of  issue  of  the  sanction  to  the project.

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