The number of beneficiaries under PMFME scheme crossed two lakhs, this help provided employment to 11 lakhs.

• The PMFME scheme promoted investments of over Rs 20,300 crore.
• More than 75 thousand enterprises joined the formal economy.
• Initial capital assistance to 4.18 lakh self-help group members.

New Delhi. The micro food processing sector of the country has achieved an unprecedented milestone in the direction of self-reliance. Making the announcement at a special event organized in New Delhi, Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan said that under the Prime Minister Micro Food Processing Enterprises Formalization (PMFME) Scheme, the achievement of sanctioning (credit-linked) loans to more than 2 lakh micro enterprises has been achieved.

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan presided over a special event in New Delhi to celebrate a historic achievement under the Prime Minister’s Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme – loan sanctioned to more than two lakh micro food processing enterprises, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries said in a statement on Saturday.

Crossing the mark of 2 lakh loan approvals, the scheme has promoted project investment of over Rs 20,300 crore, the ministry said.

Nearly 90 per cent of the beneficiaries are first generation entrepreneurs and 44 per cent are women entrepreneurs, while more than 75 thousand PMFME supported enterprises have entered the formal economy through registrations such as Udyam Aadhaar, Udyam Assist, FSSAI and GST. The scheme has created approximately 11 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Chirag Paswan, speaking on the occasion, said the achievement of two lakh beneficiaries “shows that this vision is translating into measurable outcomes across the country,” and described the participation of women entrepreneurs, about 44 per cent of all beneficiaries, as “the true spirit of women-led development, the cornerstone of a developed India.”

The Union Minister appreciated the performance of leading states including Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. He said this achievement is “not just an occasion to celebrate; it is a strong foundation on which we will build the next phase of India’s food processing growth story.”

He thanked state governments, district administrations and grassroots level officials for “transforming a national policy into a grassroots movement for enterprise development”.

Paswan also highlighted the initial capital assistance provided under the scheme, under which assistance has been provided to more than 4.18 lakh SHG members.

He also mentioned the network of 80 shared incubation centers approved by the Ministry in 27 States/UTs, of which 32 have become operational. More than 1.76 lakh beneficiaries have been trained under the scheme, of which 77 per cent are women.

On this occasion, the Minister honored Inderjit Singh, resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand, as the 2 lakhth beneficiary and presented him the acceptance letter and certificate.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries informed that the event was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries as well as representatives of state governments, supporting ministries, banking institutions, development partners, entrepreneurs and members of self-help groups and farmer producer organizations.