Content
- World Food India 2025
- 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.
