SHRI N.T. SHANMUGAM ASSUMES CHARGE AS FOOD
PROCESSING INDUSTRY MINISTER
SHANMUGAM SAYS HIS FOCUS WILL
BE HIGHER GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT IN FOOD PROCESSING
The Union Minister of Food Processing Industry, Shri N.T. Shanmugam
has said that his priority will be to ensure higher growth in
Food Processing Industry and maximum return to the farmers and
processors. He said that the emphasis would also be on technology
support to the Food Processing Industry. After assuming the charge
as Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Ministry of Food
Processing Industry here today, Shri Shanmugam told senior officers
of his Ministry that his focus would also be on employment generation
through expansion of the Food Processing Sector. He expressed
satisfaction that the 10th plan outlay has been nearly
trebled to Rs. 650 crore from the 9th plan outlay of
Rs. 235 crore. He sought the cooperation of the officials to ensure
achievement of the 8% growth which has been projected during the
10th plan, at an investment of Rs. 92,000/- crore.
Earlier, the Minister was briefed by Secretary of the Ministry,
Smt. Pratibha Karan and other senior officers on important issues.
They told him that there is a huge potential for the Food Processing
Industry, only 2% of which was being utilized. They pointed out
that to facilitate Food Processing Industry, Integrated Food Laws
need to be enacted besides rationalisation of taxes. They told
the Minister that the Group of Ministers (GoM) for Suggesting
an Integrated Food Law, comprehensive revision of the Prevention
of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, harmonizing of food standard and
creation of independent regulators has been set up recently. They
informed the Minister that a plan allocation of Rs. 75 crore has
been made for the year 2002-03. 28 food parks have been approved
in the different parts of the country. A national codex laboratory
has been set up with the assistance of the Ministry at a Central
Fund Technological Research institute (CFTRI), Mysore, they informed
Shri Shanmugam.
