Harsimrat Badal virtually inaugurates Mizoram's first mega food park

New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday virtually inaugurated Mizoram's first mega food park, which is expected to provide employment to 5,000 people and benefit about 25,000 farmers.
The Zoram Mega Food Park is located at Khamrang village in Kolasib district in Mizoram and is promoted by Zoram Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd.
According to an official release, Badal said that the park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs 250 crores in about 30 food processing units and will eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs 450-500 crores annually.
"The modern infrastructure for food processing created at the mega food park will benefit the farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Mizoram and adjoining areas immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in Mizoram," the minister said.
The Centre had approved the mega food park in Mizoram to give an impetus to the growth of the food processing sector in the state.
Badal said that a total of 88 Ministry of Food Processing Industries supported projects have been sanctioned in the North-East and 41 have been implemented.
The minister added that the government is fully committed to providing an environment that is smooth, transparent and easy for investors wanting to start an enterprise in India and in a bid to make India a resilient food economy and the food factory of the world, the release said.
The government has made food processing a major thrust area of 'Make in India'.
Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), reiterated the Narendra Modi government's commitment to reach out to the remotest and hitherto neglected areas.
Singh said that the Prime Minister has asked all ministries to allocate projects in the North-Eastern states for greater development of the region.
He also said that DoNER is happy that the food park with state-of-the-art facilities, will boost the food processing infrastructure of Mizoram.
Rameswar Teli, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, said that the Mizoram government extended great cooperation in the setting up of the mega food park. He added that the food park is spread over 55.00 acres of land and is set up at a cost of Rs 75.20 crores.
The minister stated that the facilities being provided in the Zoram Food Park will not only reduce food wastage but will also lead to value addition in food products, the release said.
He further said that the park will help in enhancing the income of farmers and ensuring fair price of farm produce.
Apart from Badal, Singh and Teli, Lanunmawia Chuaungo, Chief Secretary of Mizoram; Dr R Lalthangliana, Mizoram Minister of Commerce and Industries; R Lalzirliana, Mizoram Minister of P&E; C Lalrosanga, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Mizoram; and other dignitaries from Mizoram also joined the virtual event. (ANI)