New subsidy scheme for UP khadi artisans

A significant number of weavers and spinners across Uttar Pradesh are expected to be benefit from the central government’s ‘Workshed Scheme for Khadi artisans’ (WSKA).

Recognising the need to facilitate and empower khadi artisans and to map out a sustainable path for growth, income generation and better work environment, the scheme will facilitate instalation of larger and improved looms of benchmark technology.

RS Pandey, state director, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Lucknow, said: “Modernisation is the need of the hour. The existing premises of powerloom weavers are not adequate to accommodate modern automatic/shutteless looms and this has been one of the reasons for slow pace of modernisation.”

“It is proposed to construct about 2,060 worksheds across the state. This step is to ensure sufficient workable environment along with guaranteeing employment,” he added.

The scheme aims at the setting up of powerloom clusters with modern weaving machines to enhance the product’s competitiveness in the global market. The scheme, to be implemented during the Eleventh plan, is a central sector plan. The subsidy for construction of workshed would be limited to 25 per cent of the unit cost of construction.

“Financial assistance will be provided to those khadi artisans below-the -poverty line category. Assistance for construction of worksheds will be provided through the khadi institutions with which these khadi artisans are associated,” Pandey added. There are about 100,000 lakh spinners and weavers across the state engaged in the khadi industry.