(a) the status of implementation of the Vizianagaram Coir Cluster;
(b) the details of the cost approved in the said project till now for establishing common facility centre, product development and design intervention; and
(c) the funds released till now under market promotion assistance and capacity building measures?
MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
(SHRI NARAYAN RANE)
(a): Ministry of MSME implements Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) for organizing traditional industries and artisans into collectives for providing sustainable employment to artisans. Under SFURTI, Vizianagaram Coir Cluster has become functional and started production of rubberised coir.
(b) & (c): Under the project, Rs.203.32 lakh has been approved for undertaking the activities under Hard Interventions which includes construction of common facility center, procurement of machinery and purchase of raw material, etc. Of these, Rs. 40 lakh has been approved for construction of common facility centre. Under Soft Intervention component of the scheme, Rs. 25 lakh has been approved which includes product development, capacity building, market promotion activities, etc. The entire amount of Rs.25 lakh earmarked for Soft Intervention activities has been released to the cluster for undertaking various programmes on capacity building, market promotion, etc.