Centre okays mega food park at Rayagada

The Pioneer, July 9, 2011
PNS, Bhubaneswar

The Central Government has sanctioned a mega food park for Odisha. The State Government has identified Rayagada as the suitable place to set up a world class Food Park with satellite units in other parts of the State.

Accoding to official sources, the food park would be set up in Public Private Partnership mode with an investment of Rs 200 crore. The Union Government would provide fiancial assistance to the tune of Rs 50 crore for the project to be implemented in phases. It was decided at a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Bijay Patnaik that the State Government would create the infrastructure to attract investors. As many as 56 food processing units over an area of 198 acres of land have been planned in the proposed food park.

It was also decided to provide incentives to the promoters who would evince interest to invest in the food park. Patnaik has directed the Industry Department to work out a package on Governmental assistance and incentives required. Patnaik said since the project was related to agricultural infrastructure, an official team would be sent to other States having Food Parks to study the mode of incentives, other packages and their management. Basing on the report of the team a draft policy framework would be prepared for taking the approval of the Chief Minster.

Sources said that the food park would create employment potential for 30,000 people. Farmer groups, self-help groups and individual farmers would benefit from the scheme. In the first phase the project would be implemented in Rayagada with a satellite unit at Khurda with an investment of Rs 120 crore and in second phase it would be implemented in Ganjam.