31-Jul-2020: Government of India launches a programme for the benefit of artisans involved in manufacturing of Agarbatti under the ‘Gramodyog Vikas Yojana’(as a pilot project)
Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, approved a programme for the benefit of artisans involved in manufacturing of Agarbatti and to develop village industry under ‘Gramodyog Vikas Yojana’ on 30th July 2020. As per the programme, initially four Pilot Projects will be started, including one in North Eastern part of the country. Each targeted cluster of artisans will be supported with about 50 Automatic Agarbatti making machines and 10 Mixing machines. Accordingly, a total of 200 Automatic Agarbatti making machines and 40 Mixing machines will be provided to the artisans.
After two major decisions by Govt of India i) placing the ‘Agarbatti’ item from “Free” trade to “Restricted” trade in the import policy and ii) enhancing the import duty from 10% to 25% on ‘round bamboo sticks’ used for manufacturing of Agarbatti, this decision will help to boost the indigenous production of ‘Agarbatti ’and will pave way to generate rural employment. This will also start the process of mitigating the gap between the indigenous ‘production and demand’ and will reduce import of ‘Agarbatti’ in the country.
Under this Mission, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), one of the statutory organizations, working under the M/o MSME, will provide training, and assist artisans working in this area, with Agarbatti manufacturing machines. KVIC will tie up with Khadi institutions / Agarbatti manufacturers in the country, having good track record, to provide work and raw material to ‘Agarbatti making artisans’.
The program will act as a catalyst in reviving the Agarbatti manufacturing in the villages and small towns and will immediately generate a minimum of about 500 additional jobs.
The programme aims to enhance the production of ‘Agarbatti’ in the country and create sustainable employment for the traditional Artisans, by providing them regular employment and increase in their wages. This will give a boost to the domestic Agarbatti Industry in the country and will reduce imports of Agarbatti.
27-Sep-2019: National Launch of 10 Year Rural Sanitation Strategy (2019-2029)
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI launched the 10 Year Rural Sanitation Strategy (2019-2029), which focus on sustaining the sanitation behavior change that has been achieved under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), ensuring that no one is left behind, and increasing access to solid and liquid waste management.
Since the launch of the SBM-G in 2014, over 10 crore toilets have been built in rural areas; over 5.9 lakh villages, 699 districts, and 35 States/UTs have declared themselves Open Defecation Free (ODF). This strategy has been prepared by DDWS, in consultation with State Governments and other stakeholders, and it lays down a framework to guide local governments, policy makers, implementers and other relevant stakeholders in their planning for ODF Plus, where everyone uses a toilet, and every village has access to solid and liquid waste management.
This strategy book is a framework to sustain the efforts of the SBM-G. The country has demonstrated unprecedented progress and all States and Union Territories have declared their rural areas open defecation free (ODF) – a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. India is now an inspiration, in terms of sanitation, for other countries.
India has seen a sanitation revolution, and the SBM-G transformed itself into a Jan Andolan (a people’s movement). The 10 year strategy focuses on the need for States/UTs to continue their efforts to sustain the gains of the mission through capacity strengthening, IEC (Information, education and communication), organic waste management, plastic waste management, grey water management and black water management.
The strategy also speaks about potential collaborations with development partners, civil society and inter-government partnerships. It also highlights innovative models for sanitation financing.
As we prepare to dedicate a Swachh Bharat to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary on 2nd October 2019, the State Governments have been advised to ensure that no one is left behind, and in case any household does not have access to a toilet, they be facilitated to build a toilet on priority.
19-Feb-2019: Cabinet approves continuation of Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana from 2017-18 to 2019-20
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the approval to the following:
- To continue the existing schemes of MPDA, Khadi Grant, ISEC and Village Industry Grant, all subsumed under 'Khadi and Gramodyog Vikas Yojana' at the total cost of Rs. 2800 crore for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20;
- To bring in a new component of 'Rozgar Yukta Gaon (RYG)' to introduce enterprise-based operation in the Khadi sector and to create employment opportunities for thousands of new artisans in the current and next financial year (2018-19 and 2019-20).
Rozgar Yukta Gaon (RYG) aims at introducing an 'Enterprise-led Business Model' in place of 'Subsidy-led model' through partnership among 3 stakeholders- KRDP-assisted Khadi Institution, Artisans and Business Partner. It will be rolled out in 50 Villages by providing 10,000 Charkhas, 2000 looms & 100 warping units to Khadi artisans, and would create direct employment for 250 Artisans per village. The total Capital Investment per village shall be Rs.72 Lakh as subsidy, and Rs.1.64 Crore in terms of Working Capital from the Business Partner.
Under the Village Industry verticals, special focus shall be on Agro-based and food processing (Honey, Palmgur etc.), Handmade Paper and Leather, Pottery and Wellness and Cosmetics sectors through Product Innovation, Design Development & Product Diversification. For this initiative, advanced skill development programmes shall be conducted through existing Centres of Excellence such as CGCRI, CFTRI, IIFPT, CBRTI, KNHPI, IPRITI etc.
Another intervention is to set up 4 Design Houses across the country to capture regional variations, to provide access to Khadi Institutions, to evolve modern designs, ethnic wear etc. with an investment of Rs.5 crore each.
The other key component is to make the 'Production Assistance' competitive and incentive based. The incentive structure focuses on improving productivity, turnover and quality assurances, and would be extended on the basis of an objective scorecard. While the Khadi Institutions would automatically be given the financial assistance of 30%, in order to become eligible for the additional incentive of 30%, these institutions must strive for efficiency, optimal utilization of resources, reduction of waste, effective managerial practices etc.
As a part of rationalization exercise, 8 different schemes of Khadi & Village Industries are now merged under 2 umbrella heads i.e. 'Khadi Vikas Yojana' and 'Gramodyog Vikas Yojana':
- Khadi Vikas Yojana [Market Promotion & Development Assistance (MPDA), Interest Subsidy Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), Workshed, Strengthening Weak Infra, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, Khadi Grant and Khadi & VI S&T]
- Gramodyog Vikas Yojana [Village Industries Grant].