The Ministry of Food Processing Industries celebrated a significant milestone under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, achieving over two lakh credit-linked loan sanctions to micro food processing enterprises. This achievement represents project investments exceeding Rs. 20,300 crores, with nearly 90% of beneficiaries being first-generation entrepreneurs and 44% being women entrepreneurs, demonstrating strong inclusion metrics.
The scheme has generated approximately 11 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities while formalizing over 75,000 enterprises through various registrations including Udyam Aadhaar, Udyam Assist, FSSAI, and GST. The program features a One District One Product (ODOP) approach and supports 40 common brands covering nearly 200 products, building local value chains around specialized products including Makhana, millets, spices, and GI-tagged products across India.
Additional scheme components include Seed Capital support that has benefited more than 4.18 lakh Self Help Group members, a network of 80 Common Incubation Centres approved across 27 States/UTs (with 32 commissioned), and training for over 1.76 lakh beneficiaries, of whom 77% are women. Leading states in scheme implementation include Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh.
Union Minister Shri Chirag Paswan presided over the celebration event in New Delhi, describing the achievement as demonstrating the translation of vision into measurable outcomes and highlighting women-led development as a cornerstone of Viksit Bharat. Senior ministry officials including Secretary Shri A. P. Das Joshi and Joint Secretary Shri Devesh Deval emphasized the scheme's integrated approach combining finance, formalization, technology, capacity building, and market access for enterprise development.
The event featured the release of key publications highlighting scheme achievements, success story sharing by entrepreneurs, interactions between the minister and PMFME beneficiaries, and the launch of a nationwide multimedia awareness campaign. The minister also felicitated the 2 lakhth beneficiary, Shri Inderjeet Singh from Ranchi, Jharkhand, presenting the sanction letter and certificate.