Cabinet Approves Rs. 6,520 Crore Outlay for Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a total outlay of ?6,520 crore for the ongoing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) during the 15th Finance Commission period (2021–22 to 2025–26), including an additional allocation of ?1,920 crore, an official statement said on Thursday.

The approved outlay includes:

• ?1,000 crore to establish 50 Multi-Product Food Irradiation Units under the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI) scheme.

• Funding for 100 NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories under the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure (FSQAI) component.

• An additional ?920 crore to support various ongoing projects under the PMKSY framework during the same period.

Both ICCVAI and FSQAI are demand-driven components of PMKSY. The government will soon invite Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from eligible entities across India. Proposals will be evaluated based on current scheme guidelines and eligibility criteria before approval.

The planned 50 irradiation units are expected to add 20 to 30 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of annual food preservation capacity, depending on the type of food processed. Meanwhile, the 100 proposed food testing labs—expected to be developed by private players—will enhance food safety infrastructure and ensure compliance with national standards by offering advanced testing facilities.

According to a NABARD study, the ICCVAI initiative has notably reduced food wastage, particularly in the vegetable, dairy, and fisheries sectors.

Since its inception in 2016-17, the PMKSY, overseen by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, has aimed to build post-harvest infrastructure and strengthen food processing capabilities, ultimately reducing wastage and supporting overall sectoral growth.

With inputs from IANS