Khadi to create 19.5 lakh jobs in 2016-17: Mishra

Khadi production in the country will cross Rs 1,300 crore in 2016-17 and create 19.5 lakh jobs, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra said today.
Stating that Rs 340 crore has been allocated to Khadi and Village Industries Commission in the Union Budget, Mishra said: "It is expected that Khadi production will cross a record Rs 1,300 crore in 2016-17 creating employment for 19.5 lakh persons".
He said that Village Industries production is expected to cross Rs 45,000 crore during 2016-17, creating employment for more than 163 lakh persons.
The MSME Minister said that 2016-17 will be the development year for the sector with more allocation and increased job creation.

He said the ministry has prepared a time bound action plan for utilising the allocation of Rs 3,000 crore and the implementation of major schemes which include PMEGP, SFRUTI, ASPIRE, etc.
Briefing about the roadmap and budget allocation of MSME Ministry here today, Mishra said that under Prime Minister's Employment Guarantee Programme (PMEGP) a sum of Rs 1,139 crore will be utilised during 2016-17 to assist 55,000 projects with Margin Money which will generate employment for more than 4,25,000 persons.

Mishra said that to promote the interest of rural artisans, the Government has decided to take up development of 39 clusters with an approximate cost of Rs 60 crore which will benefit more than 10,000 artisans.

He said the Government is keen to strengthen economic activities in rural pockets and with this purpose a sum of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked under the Scheme for Promotion of Innovation in Rural Industries and Entrepreneurship which will be utilised to set up of 45 Livelihood Business Incubators and and 25 Technology Business Incubators.
He also said that for both SFURTI and ASPIRE, a web based application and monitoring system will be designed and implemented.
The Minister said that a sum of Rs 43.56 crore has been allotted to take the Coir products to the level of 5.5 lakh metric tonnes and create employment for more than 7.25 lakh persons and exports of more than Rs 1,500 crore.

He has said that government has proposed to constitute a National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub in his ministry in partnership with Industry associations.
"This Hub will provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs to fulfill the obligations under the Central Government Procurement Policy, 2012, adopt global best practices and leverage the Stand Up India initiative," Mishra said.