The Uttar Pradesh government, on Thursday, informed the state assembly during Question Hour that it was encouraging the establishment of small and cottage industries in the state through its policies and programmes, which includes several incentives for entrepreneurs.

Replying to a question raised by RK Verma of the Samajwadi Party, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Rakesh Sachan said that the state government was encouraging the establishment of small and cottage industries in the state through its policies and programmes, which included several incentives for entrepreneurs.

He said that under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme, there was a provision of funding up to 15-35 per cent of the cost of projects worth up to Rs 50 lakh whereas in the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojana, there was a provision for up to 25 per cent funding for projects of up to Rs 25 lakh.

Similarly, under the financial support scheme of the One District One Product scheme, there is a provision to provide grants of 10-25 per cent of the project cost, with the maximum limit of up to Rs 20 lakh, he added.

Under the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana and One District One Product scheme, artisans associated with traditional products are provided training and modern tool kits through skill development and tool kit distribution, he pointed out.

The minister said that under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme, there was a provision of reservation for 20.70 per cent for Scheduled Castes and 0.57 per cent Scheduled Tribes candidates.

The minister further mentioned that under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojana, general category beneficiaries are required to contribute 10 per cent of the project cost, while Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are required to contribute 5 per cent of the project cost.

The One District One Product financial support scheme aims to promote various categories of local products, and the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana is implemented to uplift traditional artisans from different fields, he stated.

Replying to a question related to Scheduled Caste welfare, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Class Welfare, Divyangjan Empowerment Narendra Kashyap said that in the financial year 2022-2023, under the post-matric scholarship and fee reimbursement scheme, the department received a total of 2,344,689 applications from Other Backward Classes students of which scholarships were provided to 1,596,455. He said that against the budget of Rs 1,450 crore for the financial year 2022-23, a budget provision of Rs 1,850 crore had been made in the current financial year 2023-24.

Minister of State for Social Welfare (Independent Charge) Asim Arun, replying to a question, said that under the fee reimbursement scheme, eligible students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and general categories studying in state-run and government-aided educational institutions within the state and in government and aided educational institutions outside the state were being provided fee reimbursement as per the rules and regulations.

In the financial year 2022-23, fee reimbursement was provided to 36,607 Scheduled Castes students. Online applications for the financial year 2023-24 are being accepted from students currently enrolled, and the disbursement of funds to eligible and accurate data-submitted students will be done in March 2024, he added.