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Government
Approves Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans
The Government has approved a new Central
Sector Plan Scheme called ‘Workshed Scheme for Khadi
Artisans’ (WSKA) for implementation w.e.f. 27th May 2008
through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
in an attempt to facilitate the development of khadi spinners
and weavers essentially belonging to BPL category by providing
them financial assistance for construction of worksheds, on
a pilot basis. This was revealed by the Union Minister for
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Mahabir Prasad here
today. He said, a growing need was being felt to facilitate
and empower khadi spinners and weavers to chart out a sustainable
path for growth, income generation and better work environment
so that they are able to have a right working atmosphere and
better ambiance to enable them to carry out their spinning
and weaving work efficiently.
Shri Prasad further stated that this scheme would be implemented
during the XI Plan (2008-09 to 2011-12). More than 38,000
worksheds are proposed to be constructed at a total cost of
Rs.127 crore approximately, involving financial assistance
of Rs. 95 crore as grants to KVIC from Government of India’s
budgetary sources.
Financial Assistance for construction of worksheds will
be provided to those khadi artisans who belong to BPL category
through the khadi institutions with which these khadi artisans
are associated and the quantum of assistance will be as under:
| Component |
Area per unit
|
Amount of Assistance |
| Individual
Workshed |
20 Square
meters (approximately)
|
Rs. 25,000/-
or 75% of the cost of the workshed, whichever is less.
|
Group Worksheds (for
a group of minimum 5 and maximum 15 khadi artisans)
|
15 Square meters per
beneficiary(approximately)
|
Rs. 15,000/- per beneficiary
of the group or 75% of the total cost of the project,
whichever is less.
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The additional requirements of funds over and above the financial
assistance provided by the Government of India, to meet the
cost of Workshed could be contributed by Khadi Institutions
without insisting on any contribution from the beneficiaries,
Shri Prasad explained. In case of individual Worksheds, the
khadi institutions can also release the additional funds assessed
for construction of workshed out of the accumulations in Artisans
Welfare Fund lying to the credit of the beneficiary with State
Level Artisan Welfare Fund Trust. The financial assistance
to be provided by the Government, will go to the institutions
(with which the beneficiaries of the scheme are affiliated)
which will be responsible for the construction of worksheds
(either directly or under their supervision) and Khadi and
Village Industries Commission (KVIC) will supervise the activities
Source:
Press Information Bureau
Date: June 05, 2008
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