The Rajya Sabha on 15th March 2021 passed the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019, to declare certain institutes of food technology, entrepreneurship, and management as institutions of national importance.
These institutes; the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur.
As per the declaration of the object in the Bill, these institutions are distinct independent bodies wholly in the food processing sector and provide solutions to the challenges faced by stakeholders of the sector, including farmers.
The Bill, therefore, seeks to enable these organizations to exercise functional autonomy and start new innovative courses and provide for instructions and research in food technology, entrepreneurship, and management.
The bill was Firstly introduced in the House in February 2019, the Bill was then moved by Agriculture Minister. Some of its prominent features.
The Bill provides for a Board of Governors, which will be the principal executive body of the institute, responsible for the general superintendence, direction, and control of the affairs of the institute.
Constitution of Board The Board of Governors will consist of 16 members including. A Chairperson, who is a distinguished person in the eld of food science, technology or management, or other such eld; Director, Dean, Registrar, and faculty members; representatives of central and state governments; representatives of FSSAI and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research; and representatives of the food processing industry.
Powers & Functions of the Board Taking administrative policy decisions; Examining and approving annual budget estimates and development plans; Establishing departments, faculties or schools of studies, and initiating courses or programs of study; Creating academic, administrative, and other posts, and determining their terms of service and appointment.
The Senate will be the institute’s principal academic body, responsible for the maintenance of standards of instruction, education, and examination in the institute. It will comprise of Director as the Chairperson; Registrar; All full-time faculty at the level of a Professor; and Three academicians nominated by the Board from the fields of food science, technology, and management.
The Bill provides for the establishment of a Council for managing activities of all institutes and facilitating connections for performance improvement. Its functions include laying down the policy framework for the functioning of the institutes and revising the achievement of policy objectives, among others. The Council will consist of 13 members including Minister of Food Processing Industries as the Chairperson; Minister of the State for Food Processing Industries; Representatives of the ministries related to food processing, higher education, and finance; Chairperson, FSSAI; CEO, NITI Aayog; and Three industry representatives and three academicians from the field of food processing.
