PLI scheme incentivizes use of millets in Ready to Cook & Ready to Eat products

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation releases data on various parameters of the manufacturing sector, including the number of registered units engaged in food processing through the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI). As per the latest available ASI estimates, the number of units engaged in the food processing sector, increased from 40,579 in 2018-19 to 41,484 in 2019-20.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been mandated for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import and to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. FSSAI has specified the hygiene and quality standards for various food products, including packaged food and non-perishable packaged food products produced by all food processing units in the country in their Regulations, namely Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011; Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011; Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016; Food Safety and Standards (Organic Food) Regulations 2017; Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018. The quality and hygiene standards prescribed in these Regulations are enforced by the Regional Directors of FSSAI along with Food Safety Commissioners of States/UTs. In cases where the samples are found to be non-conforming to the laid down provisions of FSS Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder, penal action is initiated against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of FSS Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

Under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for food products being implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) since 2021-22, a component, with an outlay of Rs.800 Crore, for Millet Based Products was carved out in the current financial year to encourage the use of Millets in Ready to Cook/Ready to Eat (RTC/RTE) products and to incentivize these products for promoting their value addition and sales. A total of 30 applications (8 large entities and 22 SMEs) were approved under this segment. Under the PLI Scheme component for Millet Based Products, the packaged and branded RTC/RTE food products with more than 15% of millets by weight/volume in product composition are eligible for claiming the incentives.

This information was given by minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.