(a) the details of the Rural Business Hubs (RBHs) in the villages located in different
States alongwith the benefit accrued as a result thereof, State-wise including Tamil Nadu;
(b) whether the Government proposes to broad-base the scope of Rural Business Hubs (RBHs);and
(c) if so, the details thereof alongwith the steps taken by the Government thereon?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)
(a): As of now MoUs have been signed for setting up 162 RBHs in 15 States,including Tamil Nadu.
Details are annexed. RBH initiative is aimed at linking the rural products / producers with the
national/ international markets through establishing business relationship and assured buy back
arrangements. The role and responsibility of the different stake holders are clearly defined in
the MoUs. Work on 30 RBHs has started so far in different parts of the country. These RBHs have
facilitated the cultivation and marketing of Jatropha in Haryana,Assam,Tripura and Jharkhand with
assured buy back of seeds based on a transparent pricing mechanism. Through the RBHs, market
linkages have been established for passion fruit in Manipur, fruit and vegetables in Uttrakhand,
pulses and chillies processing in Rajasthan and lac and tamarind in Jharkhand. RBHs have also
provided marketing avenues in sericulture, dairy products, vermi compost and compressed bricks
in Tamil Nadu.Besides these,hand knotted carpets in Rajasthan, bell metal and wooden handicrafts
in Chhattisgarh and folk arts in West Bengal are being marketed through RBH initiatives.
Thus,the RBH initiative is taking the benefits of economic development to the rural areas of the
country through promotion of Public-Private-Panchayat Partnership.This will also help in developing
a holistic and integrated partnership between decentralized rural production units and larger
marketing entities.
(b) & (c): Yes,Sir.While the present RBH initiative is focused in 33 districts identified in
consultation with the State Governments and services of Gateway Agencies have been made available
to these districts for hand holding the Panchayats in getting the projects going, the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj. in partnership with State Governments, plans to expand coverage to each of the
6100 intermediate Panchayats of the country.