Content

1. World Food India 2025
2. Driving Digital Transformation in Gram Panchayats

World Food India 2025

Context & Background

• Event: World Food India (WFI) 2025
• Organizer: Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)
• Scale: Participation from 90+ countries, 2,000+ exhibitors, largest edition so far

Relevance :

• GS I (Geography): Agri-production strengths, food culture & diplomacy.
• GS II (Governance & IR): Schemes (PMKSY, PMFME, PLI), food security policies, trade partnerships.
• GS III (Economy, Agriculture, S&T): Food processing & GDP, FDI, infra (food parks, cold chains), climate-smart tech.

India’s Position in Food & Processing

• Production strengths:
  • Largest producer of milk, onions, pulses
  • Second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, tea, fruits & vegetables, eggs
• Exports: USD 49.4 billion agri & processed food exports (2024–25)
  • Processed food share rose to 20.4% (from 13.7% in 2014–15)
• Employment:
  • 2.23 million workers (registered units)
  • 4.68 million (unregistered sector)

Government Initiatives: Sectoral Push

• Infrastructure & Formalisation:
  • Registered food operators: 25 lakh → 64 lakh
  • 24 Mega Food Parks, 22 agro-processing clusters, 289 cold chain projects
  • 305 preservation units, 10 Operation Greens projects
• Policy & Schemes:
  • PLI for Food Processing (₹10,900 cr, 2021–27)
  • PLI for Millet-based Products (RTE/RTC millet focus)
  • PM Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) → infrastructure + supply chains
  • PMFME Scheme → support for micro-units (credit, training, seed capital)
• Investment Climate:
  • 100% FDI permitted in food processing
  • NABARD ₹2,000 cr fund for Food Parks
  • Online ease-of-doing-business reforms

WFI 2025: Objectives

• Showcase India as Global Food Hub
• Facilitate B2B, B2G, G2G collaborations
• Highlight innovations in food processing, packaging, cold chains, machinery, technology, retail
• Boost farm-to-fork integration, sustainability, and exports

Key Features of WFI 2025

• Knowledge Sessions: Policy, food-tech, nutrition, climate-smart farming
• Exhibitions: State, UT, ministry, and product pavilions; specialised zones (HoReCa, pet food, beverages, post-harvest machinery)
• Startup Grand Challenge: Innovation, mentorship, funding
• CEO Roundtables: Policy dialogue, taxation, trade, regulations
• Digital Showcase: Interactive, immersive tech zones, smart supply chains
• Culinary Events: Chef competitions, regional showcases, fusion food
• Parallel Global Events:
  • 3rd Global Food Regulators Summit (FSSAI)
  • 24th India International Seafood Show (SEAI)

Partner & Focus Countries

• Partner Countries: New Zealand, Saudi Arabia
• Focus Countries: Japan, UAE, Vietnam, Russia
• Significance: Strengthening bilateral trade, technology exchange, investments

Strategic Importance

• Anchored on 5 pillars:
  • Sustainability
  • Infrastructure
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Global Leadership
  • Innovation
• Vision 2047 link: Food processing as a key driver of rural prosperity, job creation, farmer income, and global competitiveness

Outcomes from WFI 2024 (for comparison)

• Participation: 1,557 exhibitors, 108 countries, 2,390 foreign delegates
• Institutional support: 9 ministries, 26 states
• Investments & Benefits:
  • 67 food processing units inaugurated (₹5,135 cr)
  • ₹2,351 cr support for micro projects (PMFME)
  • ₹245 cr seed capital sanctioned to SHGs

Overview

• Economic Dimension:
  • Food processing contributes significantly to GDP, exports, and rural employment.
  • Rising FDI inflows (USD 7.33 bn in last decade) demonstrate investor confidence.
• Social Dimension:
  • Strengthens farmer incomes via better price realization and reduced wastage.
  • Enhances nutrition through fortified, millet-based, and affordable food products.
• Technological Dimension:
  • Push for climate-smart, digital, and sustainable technologies.
  • R&D projects yielding patents & commercialized technologies.
• Global Dimension:
  • Positions India as a stable food partner amid global disruptions.
  • Enhances India’s leadership in food security, innovation, sustainability.
• Challenges Ahead:
  • Ensuring small farmers & micro-units benefit equitably.
  • Addressing climate risks, logistics bottlenecks, food safety compliance.
  • Balancing export push with domestic food security concerns.

Conclusion

• World Food India 2025 is not just an expo but a strategic investment and partnership platform.
• Reinforces India’s role as a global food powerhouse by integrating scale, sustainability, and innovation.
• Directly aligns with Viksit Bharat 2047, aiming to transform India’s agri-food sector into a global leader.

Driving Digital Transformation in Gram Panchayats

Context & Background

• Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) driving Digital Panchayats under Digital India & Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Aim: Faster, transparent, inclusive grassroots governance.
• Tools: AI meeting summarisers, e-governance portals, mobile apps, geo-spatial mapping, digital accounting.

Relevance :

• GS I (Society): Rural empowerment, bridging digital divide.
• GS II (Governance, Constitution): PRIs (73rd Amendment), e-governance tools (SVAMITVA, eGramSwaraj), transparency & accountability.
• GS III (Economy, ICT, Security): BharatNet backbone, AI/GIS in planning, digital finance, data security challenges.

Key Takeaways (2025 Updates)

• SabhaSaar (AI Meeting Summariser) launched Aug 2025 → linked with Bhashini, supports 14 languages.
• SVAMITVA Scheme:
  • 2.63 crore property cards prepared (1.73 lakh villages).
  • Drone survey completed in 3.23 lakh villages (till July 2025).
• eGramSwaraj Portal (FY 2024–25):
  • 2.54 lakh Panchayats uploaded GPDPs.
  • 2.41 lakh Panchayats completed online transactions for 15th FC grants.

Major Digital Governance Initiatives

SabhaSaar (AI-powered tool)

• Records and auto-summarises Gram Sabha proceedings.
• Ensures real-time, unbiased documentation.
• Linked with Bhashini → 14 Indian languages → inclusive access.

SVAMITVA Scheme (since 2020)

• Drone-based mapping → property cards as legal ownership proof.
• Benefits: Bank loans, dispute resolution, property tax, better resource planning.
• Approved cost: ₹566.23 cr (FY 2020–25), extended to FY 2025–26.
• Model for citizen-centric governance admired globally.

BharatNet

• Backbone of rural internet (launched 2011, ongoing).
• As of June 2025:
  • 6.26 lakh of 6.44 lakh villages connected via 3G/4G.
  • 13 lakh+ FTTH connections under BharatNet.
• Enables e-education, e-health, e-farming, e-commerce, governance apps (e.g., PM Kisan, NPSS).

eGramSwaraj (launched 2020 under e-Panchayat MMP)

• Comprehensive platform: planning, budgeting, accounting, monitoring, payments, asset management.
• Covers 2.7 lakh Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

Meri Panchayat App

• Citizen-facing app for transparency & participation.
• Features:
  • Budgets, receipts, payments, GPDP projects.
  • Elected representatives’ details.
  • Social audit, grievance redressal, weather updates.
  • Multilingual (12+ languages).
• Empowers 95 crore rural residents, 25 lakh elected reps.

Panchayat NIRNAY Portal

• Monitors real-time Gram Sabha meetings.
• Automates notifications, agendas, and records decisions.
• Ensures participatory, transparent decision-making.

Gram Manchitra (GIS Planning Tool)

• Geo-spatial app for Panchayat planning.
• Helps in project site selection, cost estimation, impact analysis.
• Integrates with GPDP for evidence-based planning.

Recognition & Incentives

• National Awards for e-Governance 2025 → new category for Grassroots Service Delivery.
• Winners:
  • Gold: Rohini Gram Panchayat (Maharashtra).
  • Silver: West Majlishpur (Tripura).
  • Jury Awards: Palsana (Gujarat), Suakati (Odisha).
• Cash rewards (₹10 lakh Gold, ₹5 lakh Silver) to strengthen local digital innovation.

Strategic Importance of Digital Panchayats

• Governance: Transparency, accountability, real-time monitoring.
• Citizen Empowerment: Easy access to data, services, grievance redressal.
• Finance: Digital accounting of 15th Finance Commission grants → efficient fund use.
• Technology Inclusion: Language accessibility via Bhashini, geo-spatial planning, AI integration.
• Connectivity Backbone: BharatNet ensures digital delivery of education, health, and welfare schemes.

Broader Relevance

• Democratic Deepening: Enhances participation in Gram Sabhas.
• Economic Impact: SVAMITVA boosts credit access & local revenues.
• Social Impact: Inclusive apps (Meri Panchayat) empower rural citizens.
• SDGs Alignment: Supports Goal 16 (institutions), Goal 9 (infrastructure), Goal 11 (sustainable communities).
• Global Dimension: SVAMITVA admired as a replicable citizen-centric model.

Challenges Ahead

• Ensuring last-mile connectivity in remote & border villages.
• Bridging digital literacy gaps among rural citizens.
• Preventing digital exclusion of vulnerable groups (elderly, illiterate).
• Strengthening data security & privacy safeguards.
• Continuous capacity building for Panchayat officials.

Conclusion

• Digital transformation of Panchayats = turning point in rural governance.
• Tools like SabhaSaar, SVAMITVA, eGramSwaraj, Meri Panchayat, Gram Manchitra create a transparent, participatory, tech-driven ecosystem.
• Brings villagers closer to governance, breaks barriers of distance, language, and information asymmetry.
• Anchors India’s Digital Bharat vision, ensuring that villages are equal stakeholders in India’s development journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047.