Industries Dept. organizes seminar on PMFME in Kargil

Kargil, Feb 21, 2023: Department of Industries and Commerce, UT Ladakh today organized a day-long seminar on the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme in collaboration with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) and Dalit Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) at Auditorium Hall, Kargil.

Acting CEC, LAHDC, Kargil Mubarak Shah Naqvi, Executive Councilor RDD, Tourism and Zaskar Affairs, Er. Punchok Tashi, EC Social Welfare, Aga Syed Mehdi Fazili, Deputy Commissioner/CEO, LAHDC, Kargil Santosh Sukhadeve, ACD Kargil, Ghulam Mohammad, General Manager DIC Kargil, Iftikhar Ahmed, Resource Person, Mansi Roy, State Coordinator Ladakh PMFME, National Head Banking and Finance DICCI Manjul Kumar, Sarpanchs, Nambardar, Area Extension Officers, Self-Help Group members, individual entrepreneurs and Bank Manager from J&K Bank attended the seminar.

On occasion, the Acting CEC thanked the Industries and Commerce Department, Ladakh for organizing the seminar on PMFME scheme. He said the seminar will help upcoming SHG, individual entrepreneurs to understand the benefits of the scheme.

Naqvi also said the seminar will help to clear confusion, doubts and challenges faced by the beneficiaries and requested them to take maximum benefit of the program.

He stressed on educated youth to come forward and take part in entrepreneurship adding that it is mending new ways of employment generation in today’s world.

EC Tashi expressed satisfaction over the huge participation of women in the seminar and said that women will shine in entrepreneurship in coming future.

He said Kargil has a huge potential in local products in agriculture especially apricot. Tashi said apricot was imported to national and international markets, which is a positive step in this direction.

EC Fazily also stressed to include modern techniques in farming to make agriculture more profitable and sustainable in the district.

DC Kargil said in today’s world being dependent on government jobs wouldn’t solve unemployment in the country adding that entrepreneurship is growing in India. He said youth should look forward for alternate ways of employment generation.

Reiterating Prime Minister’s Vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan or Self-reliant India campaign, DC Santosh said Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of India’s growth and such schemes are being framed to strengthen the people working in the informal sector.

He said District Administration is committed to provide help to small entrepreneurs to be self-reliant adding that Kargil has a huge potential in producing local products like apricots, apple, sea buckthorn and in dairy farms.

Mansi Roy, State Coordinator of Ladakh PMFME gave detailed information outlining the components and objectives of the scheme. She said the scheme is aimed to encourage progressive farmers/SHGs and entrepreneurs to engage in food processing sector and maximize the potential of food processing and agricultural activities.

She informed that the scheme provides support to both new and existing food processing units with credit linked grant of 35 percent with a maximum ceiling of Rs 10 lakh and aims to support individual enterprises, FPOs, SHGs and Producer Cooperatives by providing financial, technical and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing units and also providing help in setting up new units for interested applicants.

Mansi also informed the gathering about providing support to FPOs, SHGs and Cooperatives for setting up a common infrastructure.

The applicant organization will be provided 35 percent subsidy with a maximum ceiling of Rs.3 cr. She spoke about the Seed Capital Component of Rs 40,000 that will be provided to each SHG member for working capital and purchase of small equipment/tools needed in the food processing sector