The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India, has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from eligible private sector entities for setting up food testing laboratories with National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation under the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure (FSQAI) scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).
According to the notification, the initiative aims to strengthen food safety and quality assurance mechanisms across the country by encouraging the establishment of modern, commercially operated food testing laboratories. The scheme is open to private sector organisations or entities proposing to set up laboratories exclusively for commercial food testing, subject to the eligibility conditions and provisions outlined in the scheme guidelines.
Under the approved pattern of assistance, financial support will be provided for multiple components of the project, with the total assistance capped at a maximum of Rs 5 crore per project. For equipment required in general areas, the ministry will provide assistance amounting to 50 per cent of the eligible equipment cost. In difficult areas, and for projects promoted by Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe entities and Farmer Producer Organisations, the assistance will be enhanced to 70 per cent of the eligible equipment cost.
Support will also be extended for technical civil work and for furniture and fixtures required for the laboratory. However, the expenditure under this component will be limited to a maximum of two per cent of the eligible project cost or Rs 15 lakh, whichever is lower, as per the scheme guidelines.
The scheme further provides for reimbursement of the NABL registration fee, including applicable Goods and Services Tax, along with support for the one-time procurement of Certified Reference Material. These materials are essential for obtaining NABL accreditation and ensuring compliance with recognised laboratory standards.
In addition, assistance will be available for implementing a Laboratory Information Management System. The ministry has highlighted that a LIMS is a software-based platform that enables efficient management and documentation of laboratory operations. It facilitates sample registration, test allocation, result entry, report generation, data storage and quality control, while also ensuring traceability, transparency and adherence to standards such as ISO or IEC 17025 and NABL requirements.
The ministry has clarified that applications must be submitted only through the online mode. Interested applicants are required to upload their proposals along with all supporting documents specified under the scheme guidelines on the Sampada Portal of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. No physical submission of applications or documents will be accepted.
Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the scheme guidelines dated November 12, 2025, which are available on the ministry’s official website and on the Sampada portal. Applications are to be filed under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana section with all relevant details provided under the appropriate headings.
The deadline for submission of online applications is January 20, 2026, by 5 pm. The ministry has urged prospective entrepreneurs and private sector players interested in the food testing and quality assurance segment to adhere strictly to the prescribed guidelines and timelines while submitting their proposals.
The FSQAI scheme is a key component of PMKSY and is aimed at improving the overall food safety ecosystem by enhancing testing capacity, ensuring compliance with quality standards, and supporting the growth of India’s food processing sector.
