Centre released ₹3,700 crore under PM-FME scheme; over 1 lakh entrepreneurs trained, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Bengaluru: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the Centre has released more than ₹3,700 crore to states and Union Territories under the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME) scheme.

She also said that loans worth ₹11,000 crore have been sanctioned to micro food processing units and collectives since the scheme's launch in 2020. "Over one lakh entrepreneurs have received training under PM-FME, enhancing their skills and empowering them to grow their businesses," Sitharaman said at the inauguration of Farmers' Training cum Common Facility Centre for Agro Processing at Methagal village in Karnataka's Koppal district.

The PM-FME scheme aims to provide financial, technical, and business support to help local entrepreneurs set up or upgrade their units.


"The goal is to enable rural entrepreneurs to transform local crops--whether millets, fruits or groundnuts--into marketable packaged foods, snacks, or ingredients," the minister said in her address.

She also launched the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana--announced in the 2025-26 budget with an outlay of ₹24,000 crore--covering 100 districts, including Koppal. The scheme aims to provide quality seeds, natural farming and water conservation training, improved irrigation and easier access to markets for farmers.

Sitharaman, who represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, said these initiatives will strengthen rural livelihoods and empower farmers through value addition, market linkages and skill development.