Rajya Sabha passes Bill to declare food technology institutes as national ones

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday approved a bill that declares two food technology institutes at Kundli in Haryana and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu as national institutes.

The Rajya Sabha passed The National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019 by voice vote.

The Bill declares National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management Kundli, and the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur as National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management.

Clarifying members' doubts about implementation of reservation policy in these institutions, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said while replying on the Bill in the House that all policies of national importance would be implemented in these institutions and reservation would be applicable in these institutes.

He also assured that all people working in food technology have representation in these institutes.

Besides, he said the Parliament will also have a say in these institutions as there is a provision in this regards in this bill.

Tomar said,"This bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in February, 2019. Thereafter it was referred to the Standing Committee. There were certain amendments there which were approved by the Cabinet. Now it again came for discussion in the House."

He said,"All members gave suggestions and expressed satisfaction on the bill. These are two existing institutions and working in the field of food processing. "

The minister further said,"India is a leading country in farm production for many crops. But we are still facing challenge on the front of storage, cold chain and processing. There is still wastage of farm produce in our country. We need to work in this area (food processing technology)."

The minister was of the view that food processing technology can reduce wastage, create jobs and turn framers into entrepreneurs. Besides, it can boost exports of farm produce.

He told the House that under the Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, 107 lakh tonnes of food have been processed and 444 lakh jobs have been created.

As many as 147 lakh farmers were benefited from this scheme, he added.