PMKSY Scheme Boosts Food Processing in India, But Jharkhand and Odisha Lag
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been actively implementing the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) since 2017, aimed at enhancing the food processing sector in India. This demand-driven scheme invites applications nationwide through periodic Expressions of Interest (EoI), contingent on available funding. Despite its extensive reach, recent updates reveal that no new projects have been approved in the states of Jharkhand and Odisha since January 2025.
Since its inception, two projects in Jharkhand and six projects in the Nabrangpur constituency of Odisha have received approval, garnering a total grant-in-aid of ₹0.93 crore and ₹23.62 crore, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, the PMKSY scheme has approved a total of 1,607 projects across various components, with 1,196 of those projects now operational. These initiatives have directly benefited over 3.6 million farmers nationwide, including 7,150 farmers in Nabrangpur, 137,852 in Rajasthan, and 53,203 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Additional Funding and Opportunities
The Cabinet has recently authorized an additional outlay of ₹1,000 crore for the PMKSY, earmarking ₹500 crore each for the establishment of 50 Multi-Product Food Irradiation Units and 100 Food Testing Laboratories. This funding boost marks a ₹920 crore increase over the initial budget of ₹4,600 crore for the scheme. In advance of this allocation, MoFPI has initiated an EoI on May 27, 2025, for establishing the Food Irradiation Units, which remains open until February 28, 2026. However, none of the 14 approved projects under this EoI are situated in Jharkhand or Odisha. Furthermore, an EoI for 100 Food Testing Laboratories was released on November 21, 2025, also open until February 27, 2026, but no projects have been approved in Jharkhand or Odisha as of now.
Impact on Farmers and Employment
The PMKSY scheme aims to bolster food processing infrastructure, which, in turn, enhances the demand for agricultural produce. This increase in demand is expected to yield better prices for farmers and improve overall farm profitability. By the end of 2025, the initiative has positively impacted 3,610,782 farmers and generated 469,403 employment opportunities throughout the country, including 4,249 jobs in the Nabrangpur constituency alone. Notably, areas such as Hazaribagh and Ramgarh in Jharkhand have not seen any project approvals under PMKSY, indicating a potential area for growth and development.
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