Nitin Gadkari backs skill development initiatives under Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme

Union Minister for MSME, Nitin Gadkari, told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Monday that the government has taken several initiatives to augment skill development under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). 

According to a government statement, Gadkari said that Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) is being provided to PMEGP beneficiaries through Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institutes (RUDSETI)/(RSETIs) and Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), KVIB training centres as well as other national level Entrepreneurship Development Institutes (EDIs).

He added, “The objective of EDP is to provide orientation and awareness pertaining to various managerial and operational functions like finance, production, marketing, enterprise management, banking formalities, book-keeping, etc. It also includes interaction with successful rural entrepreneurs and banks as well as orientation through field visits. 10 days EDP training is mandatory for all types of projects.”

Gadkari added that to bring in transparency and expedite disbursement of Margin Money under PMEGP scheme, the Ministry of MSME has introduced online Margin Money disbursement directly to financing bank branches.

A second dose of financial assistance has also been allowed for expansion/upgrading the existing PMEGP/MUDRA units for manufacturing units upto Rs 1 crore, and for service units upto Rs 25 lakh with subsidy of 15 percent for non-NER (North Eastern Region) and 20 percent for NER and hilly states.

Association of NSIC, MSME-DIs and toll rooms have also been set up for providing necessary handholding and monitoring support to beneficiaries, Gadkari said.

Next, to boost the marketing of KVI products, 10 percent of financial allocations for trading activities i.e. business/trading activities in the form of sales outlets, has been permitted in NER, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts and Andaman and Nicobar lslands.

Further, retail outlets/business selling Khadi products, village industry products procured from Khadi and village industry institutions certified by KVIC and products manufactured by PMEGP/SFURTI units are only permitted under PMEGP across the country, up to 10 percent of the total financial allocation.

Gadkari then mentioned the awareness camps, workshops, bankers meetings, and exhibitions at all levels that are being organised in order to propagate the PMEGP scheme for the development of micro industries.

“Coir activities are included under the scheme, and Coir Board has been made as an implementing agency. And finally, the process of geo-tagging of all the units is initiated,” the minister said.

(Source: PIB)

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