(a): the percentage of population earning livelihood from agriculture and allied industries in the country particularly in Uttaranchal;
(b): the percentage of contribution of the agro based industries in the economy of the country;
(c): whether the Government is making additional efforts to promote agro based industries; and
(d): if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES & AGRO AND RURAL INDUSTRIES ( SHRI MAHABIR PRASAD )
(a): According to the Population Census-2001, the workers in
agriculture and allied activities contribute 58.4% of the total
workers in the country including Uttaranchal.
(b): The percentage share of production of the Khadi and Village
Industries sector is approximately 0.38% of the Gross Domestic
Product of the country.
(c)&(d): In order to provide better livelihood, the Government
through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is already
implementing the Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP)
throughout the country, wherein assistance in the form of margin
money is provided for setting up agro and rural industries. So far
186252 projects have been set up generating 22.7 lakh employment
opportunity in the country under REGP. The target set for the 10th
Plan is to generate additional employment opportunities for 2.5
million persons.
For popularizing REGP among the potential rural
entrepreneurs, workshops, exhibitions and awareness camps are also
being organized by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC). During the current year, it is proposed to organize 86
exhibitions, 200 workshops and 300 awareness camps in different
parts of the country.