The PMFME scheme has received approval for ₹116 crore in subsidies for eligible micro food-processing enterprises in Maharashtra, with the funding expected to support projects across the state and strengthen its small-scale processing economy. The approved amount is ₹116 crore, ₹16 lakh and ₹667, with the Centre contributing 60% and the Maharashtra government providing the remaining 40%, according to a report by Loksatta.
Maharashtra has established 32,615 projects under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme, the report said. The state has been among the leading performers in implementing the scheme since its launch, with food-processing projects spread across several districts.
The approval relates to the second instalment for eligible enterprises during the 2026-27 financial year. The central share of the instalment had reportedly been received around 15 days before the approval, while the state government subsequently deposited its 40% contribution. The combined amount has now been approved for distribution to beneficiaries.
The funding structure places the release of subsidy support within a shared administrative and financial responsibility between the Union and state governments. While the Centre provides the larger share of the assistance, the state contribution is required before the combined instalment can be distributed to eligible units.
The scheme’s implementation has also created a measurable network of small food-processing projects across Maharashtra. These projects are relevant to the state’s district-level economy because they connect local production with processing activity, although the report does not provide a district-wise breakdown of the approved subsidy amount or details of individual beneficiaries.
At the national level, Bihar has moved ahead of Maharashtra in the total number of projects established under the scheme, with 34,092 projects, according to the report. Uttar Pradesh has 28,739 projects and Tamil Nadu has 20,407. Maharashtra’s total stands at 32,615 projects.
District-level figures show strong representation from Maharashtra among the scheme’s leading locations. Patna in Bihar has the highest number, with 2,745 projects. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar follows with 2,672, while Sangli has 2,575. The report said seven of the 10 highest-performing districts in the country are in Maharashtra.
After Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Sangli, the Maharashtra districts identified among the leading performers are Ahilyanagar, Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and Amravati. Their inclusion indicates that the scheme’s reach is not limited to the state’s largest metropolitan centres and extends across districts with established agricultural and food-production activity.
The immediate next step is the distribution of the approved second instalment to eligible enterprises after the Centre and Maharashtra have completed their respective funding contributions. The report does not specify the release date for individual beneficiaries or the subsidy amount assigned to each project.
