Kuldeep Kumar, Industries Minister said that Centre Government has agreed in principal to increase the margin money subsidy to Himachal Pradesh artisans under Khadi and Village Industries Sector. He was speaking in National-level meeting of the National Khadi and Village Industries Board at New Delhi today.
Kuldeep Kumar said that Himachal entrepreneurs will get 30% margin money subsidy in future from present rate of 25 % margin money subsidy .He said that Centre Government has agreed to allocate 75% targets to the Khadi and Village Industries Board in near future and added that present allocations of 50-50 to the Village and Khadi Industries Board and Khadi and Village Industries Commission would be changed keeping in view vast geographical areas of the State and massive manpower and infrastructure available with Khadi and Village Industries Board. He said that it has been agreed that Khadi and Village Industries Board can extend more qualitative and grass root level assistance to rural citizens. He said that Khadi and Village Industries Commission would be engaged in monitoring, research and physical verification and backward and forward linkage activities.
Kuldeep Kumar suggested that interest subsidy scheme should be re introduced on revised terms and conditions and demanded that 7% to 8% interest subsidy should be provided so as beneficiary may be charged only 5% to 6% rates of interest only and further demanded that amount involved should be made from margin money allocated under REGP as per modalities fixed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Mumbai.
He said that State Khadi and Village Industries Board provided 1043.67 lakhs margin money to the 797 beneficiaries during last two years and about 17000 persons were provided employment in the khadi sector during the same period.
