Bittu, who inaugurated a world-class food testing laboratory at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, highlighted the critical role of food testing in ensuring food safety. “Food testing is vital for ensuring that food products meet safety standards and are free from harmful contaminants and pathogens,” he said.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader plan under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), which has allocated ₹503.47 crore for 205 laboratory projects. Out of these, 169 projects have already been completed, with ₹349.21 crore disbursed.
Additionally, six factories in Punjab have committed investments under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, totaling ₹126.31 crore. Over 2,500 micro-entrepreneurs in Punjab have received subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, and 1,296 members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have received seed capital approval amounting to ₹3.99 crore. In Bathinda and Mansa, honey and milk-based products are identified as the key products under the “One District, One Product” initiative.
In Bathinda, 483 loans amounting to ₹142.3 crore were disbursed, while in Mansa, 253 loans amounting to ₹72.15 crore were granted. Additionally, Self-Help Groups in Bathinda and Mansa received seed capital funding of ₹75 lakh and ₹18 lakh, respectively, under the PMFME scheme.
Ravneet Singh also visited an exhibition organized by PMFME beneficiaries, showcasing their products.
