Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) is a flagship scheme of the Government of India, implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Launched in 2017, the programme aims to create modern infrastructure for food processing, reduce agricultural wastage, ensure better remuneration to farmers, and boost value addition in the food supply chain. The scheme functions as a comprehensive package to enhance processing capabilities, strengthen forward and backward linkages, and generate employment in the agro-processing sector.

Objectives

The main objectives of the scheme include:

• Reducing post-harvest losses of perishable produce.
• Creating modern food processing infrastructure and integrated cold chain facilities.
• Enhancing the shelf life and quality of agricultural produce.
• Ensuring remunerative prices for farmers by linking them with processing and markets.
• Promoting value addition and export of processed foods.
• Generating direct and indirect employment in rural and semi-urban areas.

Components of the Scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana is an umbrella programme that integrates several sub-schemes:

1. Mega Food Parks
   • Establishes clusters of state-of-the-art infrastructure for food processing.
   • Provides facilities such as cold storage, warehousing, logistics, packaging, and testing laboratories.
2. Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
   • Supports projects that create seamless cold chain networks from farm gate to consumers.
   • Covers pre-cooling, refrigerated transportation, and processing centres.
3. Creation and Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities
   • Assists in setting up or modernising processing units.
   • Encourages private investment and entrepreneurship.
4. Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters
   • Establishes clusters based on processing of specific agricultural commodities.
   • Provides shared infrastructure to small and medium enterprises.
5. Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
   • Strengthens linkages between farmers, producers, and markets.
   • Offers financial support for infrastructure like collection centres and primary processing units.
6. Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure
   • Assists in setting up laboratories for testing food quality.
   • Ensures compliance with domestic and international food safety standards.
7. Human Resources and Institutions
   • Focuses on skill development in food processing.
   • Supports research and development activities.

Financial Outlay

The scheme was initially approved with a central sector allocation of ₹6,000 crore for the period 2016–20. It is primarily implemented with financial assistance provided as grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs, industries, and state agencies.

Implementation and Impact

• The scheme has promoted public-private partnerships (PPP) in the food processing sector.
• It has generated investment in infrastructure, reduced wastage of perishables like fruits and vegetables, and created avenues for export growth.
• By linking farmers directly with processing units, it has improved income security and reduced dependence on intermediaries.
• It has also contributed to the vision of Doubling Farmers’ Income and the Make in India initiative.

Significance

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana holds great importance for India’s agrarian economy because:

• Agriculture contributes substantially to national employment, but post-harvest losses reduce farmer profitability.
• The scheme aligns with global demand for processed food, tapping export potential.
• It supports rural development by creating employment opportunities, especially for women and youth.
• It enhances food security by strengthening supply chains and reducing wastage.

Conclusion

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana represents a comprehensive policy initiative to transform the Indian food processing sector. By integrating farmers with modern infrastructure, reducing wastage, and creating value-added products, it plays a pivotal role in ensuring agricultural sustainability, enhancing rural incomes, and positioning India as a global hub for food processing.