PMFME Scheme crosses landmark of over two lakh credit-linked beneficiaries

📌 Summary:

• PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme crossed 2 lakh sanctioned loans to micro food processing enterprises; milestone event presided over by Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan in New Delhi
• Loans have leveraged project investments of over ₹20,300 crore; nearly 90% of beneficiaries are first-generation entrepreneurs and 44% are women
• 75,000+ PMFME-supported enterprises have entered the formal economy via Udyam Aadhaar, Udyam Assist, FSSAI and GST registrations; ~11 lakh direct and indirect jobs generated
• Seed Capital support extended to 4.18 lakh+ SHG members; 80 Common Incubation Centres approved across 27 States/UTs (32 commissioned); 1.76 lakh+ beneficiaries trained, 77% of them women
• One District One Product (ODOP) approach: 40 common brands covering ~200 products — Makhana, millets, spices and GI-tagged products — building local value chains
• Leading states: Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh; 2-lakhth beneficiary (from Ranchi, Jharkhand) felicitated; nationwide multimedia awareness campaign launched

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — food processing sector, formalisation of micro enterprises, women-led development; GS2 — welfare scheme implementation

📝 Prelims Facts:

• PMFME: centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Food Processing Industries for micro food processing enterprises — credit-linked subsidy, seed capital to SHGs, common incubation centres
• 2 lakh+ loans; ₹20,300 crore investment; 44% women beneficiaries; ~11 lakh jobs
• ODOP approach: 40 common brands, ~200 products

🔑 Key Term: PMFME — Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme, providing end-to-end support (finance, training, branding, market linkage) to micro food processing units