In addition to Tourism, the Food processing industry is being vouched as a savior for employment scarce Uttarakhand, since the state’s foundation.

Although, courtesy Uttarakhand’s congenial environment to fruit and vegetable cultivation (the raw materials fueling many processed foods)the food processing industry could be a real light of hope for hundreds of Uttarakhand-ites migrating to Delhi and other parts of India; not much was done to encourage Food Sector industry take its roots in Uttarakhand.

May be 10 years is not a very big time, for a new state to have visible changes.

So let’s assume that, the Government (both Central Government and the State government) is keen to give a push to the Food processing Sector in Uttarakhand.

Stepping towards making Uttarakhand a key food processing hub in the country, the state steering committee on Horticulture, approved three proposals Out of a total of nine proposals pertaining to the setting up of food processing units in the state.

Among the three entities given a nod includes Cocksure Frozen Food Private Limited (Nainital). The unit would be set up at Kotbagh in Nainital at the cost of Rs 12.70 crore. The Centre is expected to provide funds to the tune of Rs 4 crore. In this unit a total of 100 individuals are expected to get indirect employment and 25 would be able to get direct employment.

Besides, the proposal to modernise the fruits and vegetables market (mandi) at Haldwani at the cost of Rs 651.46 lakh was also approved.

Also having got an approval is a market at Haridwar to be set up a the cost of 799.19 lakh.
It would be even better, if the Government takes steps to help youths of the state set up micro Food processing units, with 5 to 6 direct employees and equal number of indirect ones; instead of inviting companies set up bigger ones.

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It’s true that, for this, the Government has to work on all aspects of the Food Processing business – right from providing credit, to providing expert advice, to developing marketing and sales networks/hubs; but if materialized, such a model will be a real employment generator for the people of Uttarakhand.

One thing which goes very much against the bigger companies is their tendency to acquire direct employees through man power consultants (Job consultants). Making this company-consultant nexus work efficiently; the company pays bulk salaries of all employees to the consultant; resulting in the consultant pocketing significant money and the employees have to content with whatever is left.
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