Millet Initiative by the Centre is Enhancing Farmers' Earnings: Minister
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New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) The Centre’s initiative to support millet-based products has significantly increased local production and procurement of agricultural produce, ultimately benefiting farmers, as stated by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Initially, thirty beneficiaries were registered under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Millet-Based Products. After the withdrawal of one beneficiary, the current number stands at 29. The scheme mandates that only domestically sourced agricultural products (excluding additives, flavors, and oils) be utilized in the creation of millet-based products.
The Government has implemented various strategies to improve the execution of the PLI Scheme for Millet-Based Products (PLISMBP). These strategies include the launch of a user-friendly portal and the formation of dedicated groups to quickly resolve issues. The minister mentioned that clarifications on the scheme's guidelines have been periodically provided to enhance understanding.
In addition, mechanisms for regular monitoring and evaluation have been established, and technical support is offered through specialized teams for the smooth execution of the scheme. Weekly meetings with applicants are also conducted to ensure effective communication and track progress, he added.
To foster the utilization of millets in food products and stimulate value addition, the Government of India introduced the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Millet-based Products (PLISMBP) for the period from FY 2022-2023 to FY 2026-2027, with a total outlay of Rs 800 crore.
This scheme removes the threshold investment requirement, making it more accessible to a larger pool of applicants. To be eligible for incentives, companies selected under the scheme must demonstrate a minimum year-on-year sales growth of 10 percent compared to the base year. The scheme rewards sales of branded Ready-to-Eat and Ready-to-Cook products in consumer packs that contain more than 15 percent millet by weight or volume.
The duration of the scheme is five years. Claims for the first performance year (FY 2022-2023) were expected to be submitted in FY 2023-2024. A total of 19 applicants submitted incentive claims, and Rs 3.917 crore has been distributed to eligible applicants thus far.
