Cabinet Approves Rs 6,520 Crore for PMKSY with Focus on Food Safety, Preservation

SRINAGAR: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a total outlay of Rs 6,520 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) during the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26), including an additional outlay of Rs 1,920 crore.

The fresh allocation comprises Rs 1,000 crore earmarked for establishing 50 Multi-Product Food Irradiation Units and 100 NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories. These fall under the demand-driven component schemes — Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI) and Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure (FSQAI) — of PMKSY.

Additionally, Rs 920 crore has been allocated for approving various other projects under the scheme during the ongoing Finance Commission period.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will soon be invited from eligible entities nationwide. Proposals received will be assessed and sanctioned in line with existing scheme guidelines.

The 50 proposed irradiation units are expected to generate a food preservation capacity of 20–30 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) per annum, depending on the types of food irradiated. The 100 private-sector food testing labs aim to enhance the country’s food safety framework by ensuring stricter compliance with regulatory standards.