Punjab on Tuesday get two food parks out of the 17 announced by the Centre.Targeted to be set up within 30 months, the parks would come up in ludhiana and Phagwara.
Punjab Agro Industries Corporation would set up the multi-acres of land at ladhowal Farm, ludhiana, at a cost of Rs140.5 core for which land has been allotted by State Government. Besides, Sukhjit Starch would establish its park at Rehana Jattan, Phagwara, costing Rs120 crore.
The announcement was made by the Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday allocating 17 mega food parks, entailing a total investment of Rs2,100 crore, to various states and private ventures including two parks for Punjab.
She announced sanctioning of these 17 mega food parks for Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.
"These projects are expected to attract an investment of over Rs6,000 crore and have the potential to provide employment to around 80,000 people. These projects are expected to benefit over 50,000 farmers," she said adding that the Ministry had sanctioned 42 projects out of which 25 parks have already been allocated.
Minister said that the states have been asked to put forth proposals for sanctioning of new food parks. "It would be ensured that at least one mega food park is established in every State," she added.
Harsimrat stressed that food processing units would augment income of farmers, generate employment, facilitate provisioning of clean and hygienic food at affordable rates besides plugging post harvest wastage.
The Mega Food Park Scheme, based on cluster approach, is aimed at facilitating the establishment of strong food processing industry backed by an efficient supply chain, which includes collection centres, central processing center (CPC) and cold chain infrastructure. These parks would provide various facilities to food processors, farmers, retailers and exporters, helping achieve faster growth of food processing industries.