Question : MICRO INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT

(a) whether inadequate facilities of micro-infrastructure has been a major constraint for promotion of self employment;

(b) if so, whether there is a need to identify the type of micro infrastructure;

(c) if so, whether the Government has prepared any scheme to identify the same;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) if not, the steps taken by the Government to identify the type of micro infrastructure required for promotion of self employment; and

(f) the success achieved by the Government to address the need of micro infrastructure?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SURYAKANTA PATIL)

(a) to (f): Proper infrastructure is essential for success of micro enterprises. The provision of infrastructure is essentially the responsibility of the State Governments. However, to bridge the critical infrastructure gaps, Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), a self employment scheme for rural poor being implemented by this Ministry, seeks to ensure that infrastructure needs – backward and forward linkages – for the identified activities are met in full, so as to enable the Swarozgaris to derive maximum advantage from their investments.

The District SGSY Committee reviews the infrastructure gaps and identifies the areas of intervention for financing projects in activity clusters. 20% (25% in the case of North Eastern States) of SGSY allocation for each district could be utilised for development of infrastructure.