MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES AND AGRO AND RURAL INDUSTRIES (SHRI MAHABIR PRASAD)
(a)&(b): Yes, Sir. Under the Rural Employment Generation Programme
(REGP), a credit-linked subsidy programme of the Government, implemented
through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), to provide
employment opportunities by assisting individual entrepreneurs/self help
groups, including women, in rural areas and small towns with population upto
20,000, women entrepreneurs are entitled to a higher rate of margin money
assistance at the rate of 30 per cent as compared to 25 per cent for the male
entrepreneurs in the general category.Convergence has been established by
KVIC with Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).Financial
assistance is also provided under REGP for various backward forward linkages
such as Entrepreneurship Development Programme, marketing, organising
awareness camps, etc. KVIC has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the MWCD, for the benefit of women entrepreneurs under REGP.
As per MoU, KVIC and MWCD have agreed to work together for generating
employment opportunities for rural women, through REGP and also marketing
their products. The State/Union Territory-wise details of coverage of women
under REGP during 2006-07 (upto February 2007) are given at Annex. I.
(c)&(d): Yes, Sir. KVIC has also established convergence with various other
organisations such as Army Wives Welfare Association, Nehru Yuva Kendra
Sangathan for the benefit of rural entrepreneurs to create awareness among
them about REGP scheme and in the creation of market avenues under REGP.
So far as Confederation of Indian Industries is concerned, KVIC has not
entered into any MoU with them.
The State/Union Territory-wise details of progress made under REGP during
2006-07 in terms of village industry units set up, margin money utilised and
additional employment opportunities generated are given at Annex. II.
