Editor-DN
Khammam: IT and Industries Minister Dudela Sridhar Babu on Thursday said the state government would encourage traders to set up food processing units to improve farmers’ income.
Addressing a meeting, Sridhar Babu said that increasing the price through processing of crops would increase the demand for farmers’ produce. Food processing industries will be invited to set up units in the mega food park at Biga Padu.
He said that the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) aims to ensure the establishment of 10,000 units. He said that subsidies will be given to industrialists, who will set up industries in the state.
Industries will provide direct and indirect employment to the youth. He added that the state government would also train women from SHGs, if they came forward for MSMEs. He said that according to the new MSME policy of the state, special women industrial parks will be established in all assembly constituencies.
He recalled that the then Chief Minister YS Rajshekhar Reddy had allocated land in 2008 for a mega food park at Bagapadu.
He said that it was the Congress government which gave the workers of Sangarini Collieries a share of profits. He promised to fulfill the demand of the people to set up a thermal power plant in Sathupalli mandal.
Nageshwar Rao said that the mega food park will help increase horticulture farmers in the district. The state government will ensure minimum support price for guava, coconut, oil farms and other horticultural farms. He requested the TGIIC officials to focus on bringing food processing units in the mega food park.
The Mega Food Park was developed by TGIIC at Bagapadu at a cost of Rs 109.59 crore on 60 acres with cold storage and warehousing facilities. The location of the mega food park was strategically chosen based on the availability of agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and poultry crops within a radius of 150 km.
Potential units that could come up within the park include fruit and vegetable processing, beverage units, chilli processing and oleoresin extraction, consumer food products such as bakery, confectionery items, maize processing, pulses processing, edible oil. Includes extract, milk and milk-based products. Nutritional supplements and food additives and finished products.
