Convergence Portal between AIF, PMFME scheme & PMKSY

Why is in news? MoFPI jointly launches Convergence Portal between AIF, PMFME scheme & PMKSY

• The Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched the convergence module between the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprises Upgradation Scheme (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).
• This initiative will contribute to the realization of Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign and take forward the projects of public welfare by increasing the power of marginalised section and contribute in the building of the New India.
• This initiative will benefit different sections of the country, including farmers and Small scale entrepreneurs of processing industry.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme: The Union Cabinet in July 2020 has approved a new pan India Central Sector Scheme called Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility).
• The scheme shall provide a medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
• Scheme duration: The duration of the Scheme shall be from FY2020 to FY2032 (10 years).
• Under this, Rs 1 lakh crore from 2020-21 to 2025-26 provision of funds has been made and interest subvention and credit guarantee assistance will be given till the year 2032-33
• AIF scheme has the facility of convergence with any other scheme of State or Central Government, therefore in order to optimize the benefits of multiple government schemes for a particular project, these are being integrated with multiple external systems/portals for convergence of schemes on a large scale
• Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprises Upgradation Scheme: The centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme was launched on 29th June, 2020 by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• The PM FME scheme intends to provide financial, technical and business support to upgrade existing micro food processing enterprises.
• Objectives: Capacity Building of Micro Food entrepreneurs, Technology up-gradation, Enable microenterprises to avail common services, A regulatory framework to encompass existing unorganized micro food processing enterprises, Branding and marketing to be strengthened in order to support the integration of existing enterprises with organized supply chains.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana: A Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• In 2016, MoFPI introduced an umbrella Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters or SAMPADA, which was proposed to be implemented with an allocation of ₹6,000 crores for the period of 2016-20.
• In 2017, SAMPADA was renamed as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).
• Objectives: To supplement agriculture, To create processing and preservation capacities, To modernise and expand existing food processing units with a view to increasing the level of processing, To add value leading to the reduction of wastage.