Advisor, Ladakh, Umang Narula chaired a meeting of the State Level Approval Committee to approve the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) under the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme on June 28.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India launched PMFME in June 2020 under ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ campaigns to provide technical, financial, and business support to micro food processing units in the country. The scheme envisages an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over a period of five years from 2021-2021 to 2024-25. The scheme adopts the One District One Product (ODOP) approach to reap the benefit of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products. The ODOP products for UT Ladakh are Sea Buckthorn and Apricot. A plan for Rs 21 crore spanning over the next three financial years was formulated for onward submission to the Ministry of Food Processing, Govt of India.

Director, Industries and Commerce Department, Ladakh gave a detailed presentation on the aim and objectives of the PMFME in Ladakh and briefed Advisor Narula about various components of the scheme including support to individual Micro Enterprises/SHGs/FPOs and cooperatives; support for common infrastructure; branding and marketing support and training and handholding support. He informed about approved activities under PMFME for FY 2021- 22; challenges of unorganised food processing units; beneficiaries covered under PMFME Scheme for FY 2021-22-23; setting up of common incubation centres in Leh and Kargil for processing Sea-Buckthorn and Apricot; promotional activities; training budget for the three types of trainees (District Level Trainers, DRPs & Beneficiaries) for FY 2022-23-25; among others.

Advisor Narula exhorted that entrepreneurs/sellers should be linked with buyers for the plans to be effective. He added that infrastructure when built under the scheme must be in consonance with the requirement of the entrepreneurs and their specific needs.

Commissioner/ Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Saugat Biswas stated that entrepreneurs will be developed through exposure and training. He added that training and workshops are already done with IHBT, NIFTEM among other organisations, from which the entrepreneurs benefited greatly and more such workshops shall be held for providing handholding to budding entrepreneurs. He apprised the Advisor that local entrepreneurs are full of vigor and enthusiasm and have already developed unique and significant products with seabuckthorn, apricot, etc., with handholding support from the Industries & Commerce Department. He added that with requisite handholding there is a huge potential for entrepreneurial activities in Ladakh both on national and international levels.

The meeting was also attended by Administrative Secretary, Agriculture, Horticulture and Floriculture Department; Administrative Secretary, Animal/Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department; OSD, Technical Education and Skill Development Department; Director, DIHAR, Ladakh; Director, Rural Development Department, Ladakh; Director, Industries and Commerce, Ladakh (State Nodal Officer); Convenor, UTLBC, Ladakh and Development Manager, NABARD, Ladakh.