Lok Sabha Question No. 2539 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-17
Subject: Khadi and Village Industries Commission
Ministry: MICRO,SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2539

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2022

## KHADI AND VILLAGE INDUSTRIES COMMISSION

## 2539.   SHRI VIVEK NARAYAN SHEJWALKAR:

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

- (a) whether the Government has any proposal to set up small scale industries under Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) or any other scheme to improve the standard of living of rural women and make them self-reliant; and
- (b) if so, the details and the present status thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA)

(a)&(b): Ministry  of  MSME,  through  Khadi  and  Village  Industries  Commission  (KVIC), has been implementing many schemes and programmes for many years to promote entrepreneurship  among  rural  people,  including  women,  in  the  rural  areas  of  the  country,  to improve their standard of living.  Details of such schemes being implemented by KVIC are given below:

1. Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme  (PMEGP), is a major creditlinked  subsidy  programme  aimed  at  generating  self-employment  opportunities  through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and unemployed youth.  Under this scheme, rural women are eligible for a higher margin money subsidy of 35% for setting up micro-enterprises in rural areas, which is more than the margin money subsidy for the General category.

PMEGP, since inception in 2008-09 and upto 11.03.2022 has assisted 1,62,555 women by providing Rs. 4,97,770.40 lakh Margin money subsidy to establish their enterprises.

2. Khadi Vikas Yojana (KVY): KVIC implements Khadi Vikas Yojana for the promotion and  development  of  Khadi  activities  in  the  country,  through  various  components  like Modified Market Development Assistance (MMDA), Interest Subsidy Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans etc. Under KVY, as of now 4.97 lakh Khadi artisans (spinners, weavers and others) are engaged in various Khadi activities, out of which 3.98 lakh artisans are women.
3. Under Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY), KVIC provide training, toolkits and other hand holding support to rural traditional artisans through implementation of following programmes:
- i) Honey  Mission/Beekeeping:  This  programme  aims  at  providing  livelihood  to people living in rural areas by introducing and popularizing modern Beekeeping and thereby  creating  sustainable  employment and  income.  Under the programme, each beneficiary is being provided with 10 bee boxes with live bee colonies and tool kits. So  far,  since  the  start  of  the  programme  in  2017-18,  a  total  of  3303  women beekeepers have been trained and provided with bee boxes and tool kits.

- ii) Kumhar  Sashaktikaran  Programme  started  in  the  year  2018-19.  KVIC  assists pottery  artisans  by  providing  Electric  Pottery  Wheels  alongwith  other  tools  and equipments.  A total of 2590 women artisans have so far been assisted through the programme since its inception.

4. Through the Skill Development Programme (SDP) and Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP), KVIC, through its training centres, imparts skill development training to prospective entrepreneurs, including women, in various disciplines like bee-keeping, pottery, fruit and vegetable processing, bakery, tailoring and embroidery, soap and detergent making, beautician  course,  motor  winding  etc.  Since  2014,  a  total  of  2,88,967  women  across  the country have been trained.

5. Ministry of  MSME  also assists artisan clusters through 'Scheme of Fund  for Regeneration of Traditional Industries' (SFURTI) to generate sustainable employment for traditional rural artisans, and to improve the standard of living of rural women. KVIC is one of the nodal agency for implementing this scheme.  At present, 107 SFURTI clusters out of the total of 458 clusters, are sanctioned to KVIC, in which around 23000 women artisans are engaged.

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