New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS): The Centre on Tuesday said that it has invited expression of interest for setting up mega food parks in the country under the Mega Food Park Scheme (MFPS).

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the Minister of State for Food and Processing Industries, Rameswar Teli, said that the ministry had floated expression of interest (EoI) for submission of proposals for setting up mega food parks on February 3.

He said the ministry has been implementing the MFPS to create modern infrastructure for food processing. And this scheme is now a component of the new Central sector umbrella scheme - Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).

"The proposals under the Mega Food Park Scheme for setting up mega food parks in the country are invited through EoI from time to time. Selection of suitable proposals for these projects is done as per the scheme guidelines, based on merit, through a three-tier stringent appraisal process as per the prefixed criteria," he said.

As per the MFPS guidelines, the scheme provides a capital grant at the rate of 50 per cent of the eligible project cost in general areas and at the rate of 75 per cent of eligible project cost in difficult and hilly areas, i.e., northeast region including Sikkim, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and ITDP notified areas of the states subject to a maximum grant of Rs 50 crore per project.

The time schedule for completion and successful operationalisation of a mega food park project is 30 months from the date of final approval to the project.