The first Mega Food Park in the state of Maharashtra was inaugurated today the Thursday by Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal at Degaon of Satarawas district.

Satara Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. inaugurated by Harsimrat Kaur Badal is the 12th Mega Food Park operationalized in the country so far and the 10th operationalized during the tenure of present government.

Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is focusing on boosting the food processing industry so that agriculture sector grows exponentially and becomes a major contributor to doubling the farmer's income and ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government.

The Minister informed that the Mega Food Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and would eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 crore annually. The Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers in the CPC and PPC catchment areas.

Badal also said that the present government is fully committed to providing an environment that is smooth, transparent and easy for investors wanting to start an enterprise in India and in a bid to make India a resilient food economy and the Food Factory of the World, the government has made Food Processing a major thrust area of Make in India.