By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAR 10, 2017: THE Centre has approved three Mega Food Park projects in Maharashtra to M/s Wardha Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd in Wardha District, M/s Paithan Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd in Aurangabad District and M/s Satara Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd in Satara District. As per the Scheme Guidelines, the time schedule for completion of a project is 30 months from the date of issue of final approval unless extended by Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee. The two Mega Food Park projects at Satara and Aurangabad are at advanced stage of implementation. The Mega Food Park at Wardha has been given final approval on 13.01.2016 and is at initial stage of implementation. The progress of implementation of these projects is reviewed by the Government from time to time to expedite their completion at the earliest.

Ministry has been implementing Mega Food Park Scheme (MFPS) to create modern infrastructure for the food processing. The Scheme of Mega Food Parks is project oriented and not state or region specific. Under the Mega Food Park Scheme, applications for setting up Mega Food Park Projects, are invited through the Expression of Interest (EOI) which is uploaded on the website of the Ministry and widely published in the newspapers. Selection of the suitable proposals is made through a transparent and elaborate procedure involving evaluation by Program Management Agency, Technical Committee and Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee. Approval is accorded to the Mega Food Park projects on merit based on marks obtained against evaluation parameters notified in scheme guidelines. State Government /State Government entities/Co-operatives, Private Sector Companies/Firms, individuals are eligible to apply against the EoI. Government has sanctioned 42 Mega Food Park projects in the country. Presently there is no vacant slot to sanction a new Mega Food Park.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in Rajya Sabha yesterday.