K'taka plans hubs for rural business

The Karnataka government on Tuesday announced plans to set up rural business hubs (RBHs) at Bidar and Channapatna with a view to establish direct linkages between rural economy and industry.

RBHs, an initiative of the Union ministry of Panchayat Raj and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), is geared at synergising rural skills and products with the technological interventions and marketing skills of the industry.

Speaking to reporters here, Principal Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayat Raj) K Jairaj said the RBH at Bidar will confine to bamboo products and the one at Channapatna will be that of the doll-making industry.

The government is in the process of readying a detailed project report, Jairaj said and added: "We want to engage IIMB or some other credible agency to do the job."

The RBHs are likely to start in the next six-seven months, he said. This apart, the department has also planned to construct commercial handicraft complexes in all the district headquarters to promote local artefacts. Two such projects have already been taken up at Bagalkot and Shimoga at the cost of Rs 1 crore each, he said.

On the other initiatives, Jairaj said the apparel training and design centres were becoming popular among the rural masses. There is a demand for two million jobs in the garment industry in the state.

These centres train persons from rural areas to meet the requirements of the garment industry. The centres have been opened in the six districts of Tumkur, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Raichur, Mysore and Bagalkot, he added.

On Cauvery Saras "" an exhibition of handicraft and handloom textiles to be held between March 20 and April 2 at the National College Ground in Basavanagudi area in Bangalore, Jairaj said a total of 443 artisans would participate.

The exhibition, to be held as part of the Swarna Jayanthi Grama Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY), will showcase ethnic products with value and utility at the 220 stalls. "We expect the exhibition to record sales to the tune of Rs 1.5 crore," Jairaj added.