8.54        ndian    onom
     institute will offer high quality educational,            job creation. To promote industrial growth along
     research and management programme specific to             with the objective of inclusive growth the food
     the food industry, provide referral advise on food        processing sector will get higher attention from
     standards, disseminate knowledge on the food              the government.
     sector and provide business incubation facility. It
     is situated (2006) at Kundli, Sonipat (Haryana).          outlook for the future
     nAtionAl mission on fooD Processing (nmfP)                So that the FPI expands as per the expectations
                                                               emphasis is needed on the following fronts:
     India enjoys a ‘competitive advantage’ in food
     processing sector given its huge production                     (i) Given the need for wastage reduction,
     base of a number of agricultural, dairy, fishing                    value addition and the high employment
     and horticultural items. To ensure that this                        potential of the sector, there is a need to
     sector gets the stimulus it deserves, the MoFPI                     substantially step up the allocations given
     has been implementing a number of schemes                           the importance of the sector in terms of
     for infrastructure development, technology                          its contribution to the economy.
     upgradation and modernisation, human resources
                                                                    (ii) There is also a need for greater involvement
     development and R&D in this sector. In the
                                                                         of state governments for better outreach,
     context of the 12th Plan, it is felt that there is a need
     to decentralise the implementation of schemes                       supervision and monitoring (keeping this
     through involvement of the states/UTs for better                    in view, government has already launched
     outreach, supervision, monitoring and ensuring                      centrally sponsored National Mission on
     job creation. Accordingly, National Mission                         Food Processing).
     on Food Processing (NMFP) was launched as a                  (iii) There is a need for greater emphasis
     centrally sponsored scheme in 2012. The NMFP                        on creation of infrastructure with full
     contemplates establishment of a National Mission                    participation of state governments and
     as well as corresponding Missions at the state and
                                                                         private sector. The main infrastructure
     district levels.
                                                                         schemes for setting up food parks and
     chAllenges                                                          cold chains are at present ‘closed ended’.
                                                                         This should be ‘open ended’ permitting
     The most important challenges among others in
                                                                         the Ministry to fund all the viable
     the sector include avoidance of the significant
     ‘wastage’ at every level and in value addition.                     projects proposals received under these
     High food inflation, high post-harvest wastage                      schemes rather than limiting the number
     particularly in fruits and vegetables, low level of                 of projects.
     processing, etc., are the main challenges in the              (iv) The credit dimension of the sector is also
     food processing sector. Addressing these core                       a vital issue.
     concerns by reducing wastage of food, increasing                With the idea of ‘Team India’ under the
     shelf life and enhancing value of agricultural
                                                               NITI Aayog, it is believed that a new synergy will
     produce are some of the objectives of the food
     processing industry. In terms of employment, the          come to the food processing industry. The nature
     contribution of the sector is significant. Presently,     of industry requires active participation from not
     the total number of persons employed in the food          only the concerned states, but the loacal bodies,
     processing sector is about 17 lakh. The National          too. Experts believe that the emerging emphasis
     Manufacturing Policy, 2011 seeks to give special          by the government on the issue of ‘ease of doing
     attention to food processing industries to ensure         business’ will be of great help to the sector.