KVIC exploring possibility to use PMEGP electronic units for manufacturing ventilators

New Delhi [India], April 13 (ANI): Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in a video conferencing with its State Directors on Monday asked them to explore the possibility of Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) manufacturing units working in electronics items to convert themselves into manufacturing ventilators.

Speaking to ANI, VK Saxena, chairman, KVIC, said: "KVIC has asked State Directors through video conferencing to convert their electronics units in making ventilators because this is the need of the hour. Also, this measure will help the government in the future as well."

In the coming financial year, the KVIC will promote manufacturing units in the field of electronic items, preferably those units which want to make ventilators.

PMEGP is a flagship employment generation scheme of the Central government under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). KVIC is its national nodal agency.

Under PMEGP, anyone can take a loan of up to Rs 25 lakh to set up small and medium units in rural and semi-urban areas, in which up to 35 per cent subsidy is provided by the KVIC.

The KVIC has successfully developed a double-layered washable and biodegradable khadi mask and has procured orders for supplying it in large quantities.

The reusable mask will be of 7 inches (length) by 9 inches (breadth) with three pleats, four strips at the corner for tying.

Recently, KVIC has also bagged an order to supply 7.5 lakh pieces of khadi masks to Jammu and Kashmir Administration.

The Khadi Stitching Centre at Nagrotta near Jammu has been turned into a mask stitching centre, which is producing 10,000 masks per day with a labour cost of Rs 3 per mask.