The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday approved a combined investment of Rs 13,089 crore to bolster India’s food processing and railway sectors. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) received an additional Rs 1,920 crore, raising its budget to Rs 6,520 crore for 2025-26.

The funds will support 50 multi-product food irradiation units and 100 advanced food testing labs to enhance food safety, reduce waste, and boost the competitiveness of the food processing industry, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced.

Additionally, the Cabinet greenlit four railway multitracking projects worth Rs 11,169 crore, expanding the Indian Railways network by 574 km across 13 districts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The projects include a fourth line between Itarsi-Nagpur, doubling the Aurangabad-Parbhani line, and adding third and fourth lines between Aluabari Road-New Jalpaiguri and Dangoaposi-Jaroli.

These initiatives, aligned with the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, will connect 2,309 villages, serving 43.6 lakh people, and boost freight capacity by 95.91 million tonnes annually for commodities like coal, cement, and agricultural products.

The railway projects promise enhanced operational efficiency, reduced congestion, and significant environmental benefits, including a reduction of 16 crore litres in oil imports and 515 crore kg in CO2 emissions, equivalent to planting 20 crore trees.

These strategic investments aim to strengthen India’s infrastructure, promote economic growth, and support sustainable development across both sectors.