The Union Cabinet has approved a total outlay of Rs 6,520 crore — including an additional Rs 1,920 crore — for the Central Sector Scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) during the ongoing 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021–22 to 2025–26), the government said in an official release said.The allocation includes Rs 1,000 crore to support the setting up of 50 multi-product food irradiation units under the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI) scheme, and 100 NABL-accredited food testing laboratories (FTLs) under the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure (FSQAI) component. An additional Rs 920 crore has been approved for “sanctioning projects under various component schemes of PMKSY during the 15th FCC,” according to the release.Highlighting the scope of the investment, the Cabinet said “The implementation of the proposed 50 multi-product food irradiation units is expected to create total preservation capacity ranging from 20 to 30 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) per annum, based on the type of food products irradiated under these units.”The food irradiation units are aimed at increasing shelf life and reducing post-harvest losses, while the 100 new food labs — to be set up by private players — will ensure “compliance with food safety standards and supply of safe foods,” the release said.The schemes are demand-driven and will follow the Expression of Interest (EOI) route. “The proposals received against the EOI would be approved after proper scrutiny as per eligibility criteria as per the extant scheme guidelines,” it added.