One of the major aims of the Union Government is to facilitate employment and skill development for 65 per cent of the nation’s youth. The Khadi, village level and cottage industry enterprises should be encouraged in Uttarakhand, said the Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Giriraj Singh while holding a meet with departmental officials at the Dam Kothi State guest house in Haridwar on Wednesday. The meeting was focused on issues pertaining to Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), National Small Industries Corporation limited (NSIC) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Addressing the officials in the meet, Singh stressed that cottage industry, Khadi and village industries need to be encouraged in Uttarakhand. He said, “One of Union Government’s major targets is to link 65 per cent of the nation’s youth with employment and to facilitate their skill development. The Union Government has set a target of linking five crore youth in the coming five years with employment based on Khadi, small and village industries,” he said. It was also stated that efforts are being made to increase production in the Khadi industry with the use of solar charkha (spinning wheel) which will also help in bringing about an increase in the income of entrepreneurs. The minister directed the officials concerned to prepare a special work plan to provide encouragement to Khadi, small and village industries in Uttarakhand. Singh also directed the officials to work towards increasing employment generation through yarns made in Khadi institutions and for providing improved quality. At the micro level, in order to boost this industry and enterprise, loan should be provided to entrepreneurs with traditional spinning wheels under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), said the minister to departmental officials.
The MSME Uttarakhand director PK Sinha, NSIC State head Pushpendra Suryavanshi, manager Mahendra Singh Rana, city magistrate Jay Bharat Singh and other officials of the departments concerned were also among those present in the meeting.