Lok Sabha Question No. 678 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-22
Subject: Encouraging Small Farmers to set up Cottage Industries
Ministry: MICRO,SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Arvind Dharmapuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 678 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2021

## Encouraging Small Farmers to set up Cottage Industries

## 678. SHRI ARVIND DHARMAPURI:

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

- (a) whether the Government is encouraging small farmers to set up cottage industries to increase their income;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to increase the income of the farmers; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SHRI NARAYAN RANE)

(a) to (d):  Yes sir. Small farmers are being encouraged to set up cottage industries to increase their income through the following schemes/programmes:

- i. Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme  (PMEGP)  is  a  major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm  sector by  helping traditional artisans (primarily small farmers) and rural/urban unemployed youth. The major verticals in the cottage industries where the small farmers are setting up micro enterprises under PMEGP are as follows:
2.  Agro  Based  &  Food  Processing  Industry  viz.  Pulses  &  Cereals  Processing Industry,  Fruit  &  Vegetable  Processing  Industry,  Village  Oil  Industry,  Gur  & Khandsari Industry, etc.
3.  Forest  Based  Industry  viz.  Medicinal  Plants  Industry,  Beekeeping  Industry, Minor Forest Based Industries, etc.
4.  Handmade  Paper  and  Fibre  Industry  viz.  Handmade  Paper  Industry,  Fibre Industry, etc.

Since  inception  of  the  scheme,  till  09.07.2021,  6,97,612  units  have  been  set  up  (including those by farmers) with MM subsidy of Rs. 16688.17 crore.

- ii     Ministry  is  implementing  Scheme  of  Fund  for  Regeneration  of  Traditional Industries (SFURTI). The focus of the scheme is to organize traditional industries and artisans/small farmers into clusters and provide them with sustainable employment by making their products competitive through value addition. Under the scheme, farmers through farmer producer organization or otherwise  are collectively supported through construction of Common Facility Centres (CFCs), new plants and machineries,  training,  etc.  in  sectors  such  as  Agro  Based  Industries,  Honey,  Khadi, Coir, Handicrafts, Textiles, Bamboo etc.

As on 19.07.2021, 433 clusters have been approved benefitting about 2.6 lakh artisans (including farmers) with GoI assistance of Rs.1102 crore.

- iii. Ministry  also  implements  Gramodyog  Vikas  Yojana  focussing  on  development  of Village based industries. Two major components of the scheme are as follows:
2.  Honey  Mission  (Beekeeping  Programme):  To  supplement  the  income  of farmers, Adivasies and unemployed youth of the country, KVIC launched Honey Mission  during  2017  -  18  providing  farmers  with  10  bee  boxes  with  live  bee hives. A total number of 15,445 beneficiaries have been provided with 1,53,259 of Bee-Hives(Boxes) from 2017-18 to 2020-21.
3.  Kumbhar  Sashaktikaran  Programme  (Mineral  Based  Industry):  Under  the programme, for up-liftment of the small farmer/rural potters' livelihood, skill upgradation  training  and  new home scale energy efficient equipments like  electric pottery  wheels,  blunger,  pug  mill,  kiln  etc.  are  provided  for  producing  quality products. A total of 21030 electric pottery wheels have been distributed under this programme from 2017-18 to 2020-21.

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