Agriculture minister Narendra Singh (right) at the seminar in Patna on Saturday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb. 25: Agriculture minister Narendra Singh today said the government would provide all help to entrepreneurs for setting up food processing units in the state.

“The government, in association with the Centre, would launch a training programme across the state to assist entrepreneurs in establishing food processing units. But the industry bodies could help the state government in creating awareness among the people about the sector,” Singh said.

He was addressing a seminar, Food processing investment summit- market development and business opportunities, organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industries (Assocham) in association with Bihar Chamber of Commerce (BCC) in the state capital.

Taking a dig at the presence of multinational corporations in the field of food processing, the minister said: “We don’t need any kind of technological support in food processing sectors as they just grow at the cost of local industries. Our household technique in preparing curd or pickles is well known and we don’t need any foreign assistance. Today, we are making missiles on our own. So where is the question of others’ support in this sector?”

Industries minister Renu Kumari Kushwaha exhorted Assocham and BCC to organise such programmes on food processing in districts and blocks. Principal secretary (industries) C.K. Mishra claimed that the government has created a favourable atmosphere and formulated a proper food processing policy that provides 35 per cent subsidies to entrepreneurs wishing to set up food processing units.

“It is up to businessmen to make maximum use of the policy,” Mishra added. About 69 units of food processing are presently in operation in the state, while 102 are in the pipeline and 148 proposals are pending, he said.