Parliament passes NIFTEM Bill

• The National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021 was passed in the Lok Sabha on July 26. 

• The Bill was earlier cleared in the Rajya Sabha on March 15 this year.

• With the passing of this Bill, two educational institutes — National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Kundli (Haryana) and Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology(IIFPT), Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) — under the ministry of food processing industries became Institutions of National Importance. 

• Institute of National Importance is a status that may be conferred on a premier public higher education institution in India by an act of Parliament of India.

• It is defined as the one which serves as a pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified region of the country/state. 

• The passing of NIFTEM Bill will provide these institutes greater autonomy, so that they can start new and innovative courses as well as help them to attract excellent faculty and students.

• Global standards can also be adopted in academic and research work.

• These institutes will have curricular provision related to food processing areas like cold chain technology, food bio-nanotechnology which can help in filling the technological gap. 

• These institutions can now open new centres anywhere in the country and abroad. 

• Along with this, giving them the status of Institute of National Importance will also pave the way for the creation of skilled manpower.

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