(a) whether the Government is formulating any scheme to provide loans to unemployed persons to promote `Khadi`;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the same is likely to be implemented;and
(c) if not, the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI NAMONARAIN MEENA)
(a) & (b): The nodal Ministry for Khadi and Village Industries i.e. Ministry of Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), has reported that there is no such scheme under
formulation at present.
(c): The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has been facilitating promotion and development
of khadi through various schemes of financial assistance which inter-alia include the following:
(I); Workshed Scheme for khadi Artisans for providing assistance for construction of worksheds for better
work environment;
(ii) Scheme for enhancing productivity & competitiveness of khadi Industries
and Artisans by replacement of obsolete old machinery and equipment;
(iii) Strengthening Infrastructure of existing Weak khadi Institutions
and Assistance for Marketing Infrastructure;
(iv) Incentivize production and sale of khadi and Polyvastra by introducing
the new scheme of Market Development Assistance (MDA);
(v) Funding from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to re-vitalise the khadi
sector by implementing Khadi Research and Development Programme (KRDP);
(vi) Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries
(SFURTI) for development of clusters inter-alia in khadi; and
(vii) Product Development, Design Intervention & Packaging
(PRODIP) for improved design and packaging of khadi garments.