New department to serve as state nodal agency for MoFPI schemes; 15 posts to be redeployed
The Nagaland government has created a separate Department of Food Processing with immediate effect, giving the sector a dedicated administrative structure and nodal authority in the state.
According to a notification issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department on August 18, 2026, the new department will handle, represent and implement all matters relating to food processing industries and related activities in Nagaland.
The department will also function as the State Nodal Agency for the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India, and will implement existing and future schemes, programmes and activities of the central ministry at the state level.
It will be responsible for implementing the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Prime Minister Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, along with the manpower, establishments and resources created under the scheme.
The new department has also been tasked with formulating food-processing policy for the state and implementing the Nagaland Food Processing Industries Policy.
Among its other functions are coordination with state and central government departments and stakeholders, technical support, research and product development, quality control, training, project identification and appraisal support, entrepreneur handholding and capacity building.
It will also facilitate the creation of food-processing infrastructure, maintain data on food-processing entrepreneurs and units, establish a Project Management Unit, promote food-processing communities and create market linkages.
The notification provides for the creation of one post of Director, Food Processing, at Pay Level 18, with the post to be encadred to the Nagaland Civil Service.
A further 15 posts are to be redeployed from the Industries & Commerce Department to the new department. These include one Deputy Director (Food Processing), one Food Technologist, one Shift-in-Charge, one Accountant, one Marketing Assistant, one UDA, one Storekeeper, one Typist, one Mechanic, one Boiler Operator, four Multi-Tasking Staff and one Watchman.
The notification stated that the creation of the department has the approval of the Nagaland Cabinet vide decision dated June 15, 2026.
It may be mentioned that Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan had written to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in January 2025 urging Nagaland to establish a dedicated administrative structure for the food-processing sector.
In his letter dated January 22, 2025, Paswan had said the growing strategic importance of food processing warranted a dedicated ministry at the state level to enable focused policymaking, streamline coordination with central schemes and improve implementation.
He had also highlighted the potential of a dedicated administrative structure to attract investment, develop infrastructure such as cold chains and food-testing laboratories, and support startups and MSMEs in the sector.
The Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries had offered technical guidance, policy collaboration and investment facilitation to support such an initiative.
The newly created Department of Food Processing will now function as the state’s dedicated authority for the sector and as the nodal agency for coordination with the central ministry.
