Question : Subsidy to Artisans under Solar Charkha Mission

(a) whether the Government is providing any subsidy to the artisans under Solar Charkha Mission;

(b) if so, the amount of subsidy being provided under the said mission;

(c) the number of artisans who have availed the said subsidy till date, particularly in Gujarat, State-wise;

(d) whether it is likely to help the Government in development of green economy and if so, the details thereof;

(e) the number of clusters operating under Solar Charkha Mission including Gujarat and Bihar, State-wise; and

(f) the number of artisans to whom employment has been provided under the said mission?

MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
(SHRI NITIN GADKARI)

(a)& (b): The scheme Mission Solar Charkha is enterprise driven scheme and envisages setting up of ‘Solar Charkha Clusters’ which will have 200 to 2042 beneficiaries (Spinners, Weavers, Stitchers and other skilled artisans). Each spinner will be given two charkhas of 10 spindles each. As part of the scheme no subsidy is given, however subsidy to the tune of Rs.9.60 crore is provided for procurement of charkha and looms to the Implementing or Promoting Agency for a full-scale Solar Charkha Cluster involving a total investment of about Rs.38.625 crore.

(c) to (f): Based on the success of a pilot project on Solar Charkha, set up at Khanwa village, Nawada District, Bihar in 2016 which benefitted about 1180 artisans, Government of India accorded approval to set up 50 such clusters. As part of the scheme based on the Expression of Interest (EOI), a total of 10 proposals have been approved under Mission Solar Charkha till date which is expected to benefit about 13784 artisans/workers. The States where Solar Charkha clusters are approved are as follows:
<pre>
State Amount of subsidy (Rs. lakh) No. of Solar Charkha clusters No. of beneficiaries
Chhattisgarh 578.49 1 1200
Gujarat 405.45 1 1000
Karnataka 1920.49 2 4042
Maharashtra 1336.76 2 2742
Odisha 676.25 1 1400
Rajasthan 959.95 1 2000
Uttar Pradesh 754.26 2 1400
Total 6631.65
10 13784
</pre>

These solar charkhas are to be operated using solar power which is a renewable energy source. It will help in development of Green Economy as it is an environment friendly programme. It will also generate sustainable employment for the artisans.