New Delhi (NVI): The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) will sign two MoUs with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs tomorrow, for the purchase of Khadi fabric for tribal students and create local employment for tribal population in India.
According to an official statement, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed in the presence of Minister of MSME, Nitin Gadkari and Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda.
They are aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” as they aim at creating local employment by strengthening the Khadi artisans and a large chunk of tribal population across the country.
“While one MOU is regarding the purchase of Khadi fabric for tribal students, the other MOU is on partnering of Tribal Affairs Ministry with KVIC as an implementing agency for Prime Minister Employment Generation Program (PMEGP),” the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) said in a statement.
As part of the first MoU, the Tribal Affairs Ministry will procure over 6 lakh meters of Khadi fabric worth Rs 14.77 crore in 2020-21, for the students in Eklavya Residential Schools being run by the ministry.
In addition, the MSME stated that, as the government increases the number of Eklavya schools every year, the quantum of purchase of Khadi fabric shall also increase proportionally.
Under the second MoU, National Scheduled Tribe Finance Development Corporation (NSTFDC), an agency of the Tribal Affairs Ministry responsible for economic development of tribals in India, will be roped in as a partner to implement PMEGP scheme, the ministry said.
“NSTFDC provides concessional loan schemes for funding entrepreneurial ventures of aspiring scheduled tribes in all sectors of economy,” it added.
Therefore, the MoU will benefit the tribals by engaging them in various production activities and creating self-employment opportunities.
The alliance of NSTFDC and KVIC will increase also the coverage of PMEGP scheme among the scheduled tribes (STs), the MSME statement said.
-RJV
