(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Changing Boosting Rural Income

(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Boosting Rural Income

[AUGUST-2022]

Boosting Rural Income

Context:

The role of MSMEs is critical in rural industrialisation. MSMEs today provide employment to more than 111 million workers with around 63.4 million units across the country. We need to identify areas far developing rural hubs based on resources, markets and infrastructure, where MSMEs can flourish and ensure employment and income to rural youth.

SFURTI Scheme

The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) implements the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) across the country with the view to organise traditional industries and artisans into clusters to make them competitive and Increase their income.

Under the scheme, traditional artisans and industries are organised into clusters to add value to their production and enhance their income by supporting them in:

upgradation of infrastructure by developing Common Facility Centers (CFCs) with latest machineries and creation of Raw Material Bank,
training and skill development of artisans, exposure visits, product development,
developing new market linkages, including e-commerce tie ups, partnerships with institutes of eminence for creation of new designs, etc.

Schemes Being Implemented by Coir Board

The Ministry of MSME through Coir Board, is implementing various schemes for improving the Coir industry in the country under the Umbrella Scheme ‘Coir Vikas Yojana’. Components of the scheme are as follows.
i. Science and Technology
ii. Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana
iii. Domestic Market Promotion
iv. Export Market Promotion
v. Trade and Industry Related Functional Support Services
vi. Welfare Measures - Coir Workers Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme merged with Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
vii. Coir Industry Technology Upgradation Scheme (CITUS)

Programmes under KVIC

In addition to the above, under Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY), KVIC is implementing following programmes for promotion and development of traditional industries.

Bee-Keeping (Honey Mission): KVIC launched Honey (Bee) Mission in July, 2017 for promoting beekeeping and generating employment in the beekeeping potential states of the country.
Pottery Programme (Kumhar Sashakti karan): Under this programme, KVIC identify the areas where clusters of traditional pottery workers are available and provide them training, electric pottery wheels and other tools like blunger, Pug Mill, etc.
Khadi Vikas Yojana (KVY): KVIC implements Khadi Vikas Yojana for the promotion and development of Khadi activities (KVI) in the country, through various components like Modified Market Development Assistance (MMDA), Interest Subsidy Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans, etc.

Conclusion

The above initiatives are slowly but surely, helping in industrialising rural India, providing new employment opportunities for rural youth. However, efforts, both public and private, need to be stepped up to ensure that rural youth are able to find gainful employment in the villages and towns such that the country’s demographic dividend is realised. Agriculture is unable to sustain the large swathes of population in India, and more non-farm employment opportunities need to be harnessed.