Udaipur: The two-day National Chintan Shivir (Introspection Camp) organised by the Union Ministry of Food Processing and Industries at a hotel in Udaipur began on Monday with extensive deliberations on strengthening India’s food processing ecosystem.
The brainstorming focused on increasing farmers’ income, reducing post-harvest losses, promoting value addition, and creating new employment opportunities for youth and women.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister for Food Processing and Industries Chirag Paswan said the Central government’s objective is to develop a modern, competitive, and inclusive food processing sector that plays a pivotal role in India’s economic growth.
He added that the food processing industry serves as a strong link between farmers and markets, ensuring better prices for agricultural produce while strengthening the rural economy.
Chirag Paswan said the Central government is continuously working to attract investment in the food processing sector and promote innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
He expressed confidence that such Chintan Shivir initiatives would provide a strong foundation for policymaking and help position India as a global hub for food processing.
The event was attended by Ministry Secretary Abhinav Joshi, Special Secretary Nandita Gopal, and Joint Secretary Devesh Dewal.
On the occasion, special publications highlighting technological advancements in the food processing sector and success stories of winners of the Startup Grant Challenge were released, marking an important step towards encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.
During the sessions, stakeholders discussed practical strategies to enhance processing capacity, facilitate trade, strengthen infrastructure, and promote entrepreneurship.
Industry representatives, startups, and other stakeholders shared experiences and offered valuable suggestions related to policy reforms and investment opportunities.
In a post on X, Chirag Paswan said: “Today, the inauguration of MoFPI’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ was done in Udaipur. I shared with the officials who came from the Centre and the states and the representatives of the industry world that this camp is not just a review program. This is such an opportunity.”
Earlier in another X post, Union Minister Paswan said: “During the ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Udaipur, Rajasthan, the Union government will seriously understand ground-level experiences, feedback, and challenges, and through discussions on key issues related to the food processing sector, transform ideas into clear, result-oriented decisions, so that the future direction, priorities, and action plan for the sector can be determined.”
Earlier on Monday, Union Minister Paswan in a post on X said: “Today, I will inaugurate the ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Udaipur, Rajasthan. This camp is focused on increasing investment in India’s food processing sector, strengthening global competitiveness, and fortifying farmer-centric value chains.”
(IANS)
