New Delhi, July 21 (IANS): To promote and develop the country's food processing sector, the government will provide financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid to eligible entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs, parliament was told on Tuesday.

"For promotion and development of food processing sector in the country, the ministry is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for Infrastructure Development for Food Processing having components of mega food parks and integrated cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure," Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided in the form of grant-in-aid to eligible entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs, at the rate of 50 percent in general areas and 75 percent in northeastern Region and difficult areas, subject to a maximum of Rs.50 crore for establishment of mega food park and Rs.10 crore for establishment of cold chain infrastructure," she said.

Small and micro food processing units being managed by woman in rural areas of the country are 103,067.