Lok Sabha Question No. 4839 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-25
Subject: Gap in Demand and Supply of Agarbatti
Ministry: MICRO,SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Bhagwanth Khuba, Pradeep Kumar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4839 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2021

## GAP IN DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF AGARBATTI

## 4839.   SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA: SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  is  a  huge  gap  between  the  demand  and  supply  of  Agarbatti  in  the country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  to increase the production especially in Bihar and North Eastern Region (NER);
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  any  scheme  under  'Atmanirbhar  Bharat'  to  boost  the Agarbatti manufacturing business in Bihar, Karnataka and other States and if so, the details thereof along with the allocation made so far in this regard; and
- (c) whether only sixteen per cent of the bamboo is used in the country whereas eighty four per cent is going in waste and if so, the action taken by the Government for the full use of Bamboo in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SHRI NITIN GADKARI)

(a)&(b): Government of India, Ministry of MSME has issued 'Operational Guidelines on 'Agarbatti Project', under 'Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY)' Scheme on 04.09.2020, for implementation through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in the country, including  Bihar  and  North  Eastern  Region,  to  support  artisans  involved  in  making  of Agarbatti through training, hand-holding, financing etc. with intent to reduce the existing gap between demand and supply of Agarbatti. This will benefit about 1300 artisans.  As part of the  programme,  Centre  of  Excellence  (CoEs)  with  Indian  Institute  of  Technology  (IIT), Mumbai/Technology  Centre  of  Ministry  of  MSME  and  Visvesvaraya  National  Institute  of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur are also proposed to be set up, for machine development and development of various other products. The State-wise targets of pilot project of Agarbatti Industry in the country including Bihar, North Eastern Region (NER), Karnataka and other southern States is annexed.

(c): The restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) is operational from the year 201819 and being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture. NBM focuses on the development of  complete  value  chain  of  bamboo  sector  to  link  growers  with  consumers  starting  from planting  material,  plantation,  creation  of  facilities  for  collection,  aggregation,  processing marketing,  micro,  small  &  medium  enterprises,  skill  development  and  brand  building initiative  in  a  cluster  approach  mode.  NBM  has  a  component  of  Management  of  bamboo waste in primary processing units in which bio-char, bamboo charcoal, bio energy etc. are included  to ensure the complete  utilisation  of  bamboo.  During  2018-19  to  2020-21 (28.02.2021),  22  nos.  of  Management  of  bamboo  waste  in  primary  processing  units  have been set up with an expenditure of Rs. 328.75 lakh.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (a)&(b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4839 for answer on 25.03.2021

Details of State-wise targets of pilot project of Agarbatti Industry in the country

## A. Pedal operated Agarbatti Machines

| Sr. No.   | Name of States   | Pedal Machines for one batch consisting of 10 beneficiaries   | Pedal Machines for one batch consisting of 10 beneficiaries   | Fund allocated (Rs. in lakh)   |
|-----------|------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Sr. No.   | Name of States   | No. of Artisan                                                | No. of Pedal Machines                                         | Fund allocated (Rs. in lakh)   |
| 1         | Bihar            | 50                                                            | 50                                                            | 13.50                          |
| 2         | Rajasthan        | 50                                                            | 50                                                            | 13.50                          |
| 3         | Uttar Pradesh    | 100                                                           | 100                                                           | 27.00                          |
| 4         | Orissa           | 50                                                            | 50                                                            | 13.50                          |
| 5         | Maharashtra      | 50                                                            | 50                                                            | 13.50                          |
| 6         | West Bengal      | 50                                                            | 50                                                            | 13.50                          |
| 7         | Karnataka        | 50                                                            | 50                                                            | 13.50                          |
| 8         | Tamil Nadu       | 100                                                           | 100                                                           | 27.00                          |
|           | Total            | 500                                                           | 500                                                           | 135.00                         |

## B. Automatic Agarbatti Machines

|         |                | Automatic Machines for one batch consisting of 10 beneficiaries   | Automatic Machines for one batch consisting of 10 beneficiaries   | Automatic Machines for one batch consisting of 10 beneficiaries   | Automatic Machines for one batch consisting of 10 beneficiaries   |
|---------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No. | Name of States | No. of SHG groups consisting of 10 artisans per SHG               | No. of Automatic Machines (five per SHG)                          | No. of Mixing Machines (one per SHG)                              | Fund allocated (Rs. in lakh)                                      |
| 1       | Tripura        | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 2       | Maharashtra    | 16                                                                | 80                                                                | 16                                                                | 20.00                                                             |
| 3       | Assam          | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 4       | Orissa         | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 5       | Gujarat        | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 6       | Madhya Pradesh | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 7       | Karnataka      | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 8       | Andhra Pradesh | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
| 9       | Uttar Pradesh  | 8                                                                 | 40                                                                | 8                                                                 | 20.00                                                             |
|         | Total          | 80                                                                | 400                                                               | 80                                                                | 200.00                                                            |