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The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) on Friday said seven of the proposed 30 mega food parks across the country are in advanced stages of implementation.
“Seven food parks are in advance stages of implementation. The projects in Assam, Tripura and West Bengal are showing good progress. Funds have already been released to the respective State Governments,” Rakesh Kacker, Union Secretary, MOFPI, told reporters here.
He was addressing a seminar on investing in mega food parks organised by city-based Indian Chamber Commerce.
The seven mega food parks are located in West Bengal (two projects), Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
According to Kacker, the Ministry has also “accorded” final approval to 13 projects (including the seven ongoing ones) and an in-principle approval to the remaining 17.
Despite being proposed in 2008-09, project implementation was delayed because of land acquisition problems.
Easy approval
Kacker pointed out that nearly 12 per cent of the budgetary allocation (Rs 660 crore) for the Ministry was earmarked for the mega food park projects this fiscal. The Ministry is also planning to introduce an “open-ended” mechanism for approving proposals for food parks in the 12th Five Year Plan.
“We are trying to make it open-ended so that if anybody at any point of time want to set up a food park, he can do so. And if he meets the eligibility requirements, then we can give approval,” he said.
Meanwhile, the mega food park at Jangipur in Murshidabad district is expected to be operational by March, 2013. The park had recently received final approval from the ministry.
ITC interested
Kolkata: Diversified conglomerate, ITC Ltd, is negotiating for a five acre plot in a mega food park coming up at Jangipur in Murshidabad for a food processing unit, Amirul Islam, managing director of Jangipur Bengal Mega Food Park Ltd, told reporters here on Friday.
“ITC had inspected the land around three months back and the feedback is positive for a five-acre plot at the food park,” he said on the sidelines of the seminar.
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