MP artisans' creations to be marketed in cities

Bhopal, Dec 20 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today assured that a system for marketing artisans' creations would be in place both in cities and rural areas.

''My government is endeavouring to ensure fair financial returns for artisans' toil and to make rural artists self-reliant.

Mechanisation has caused a heavy loss to the rural economy,'' he said here while inaugurating the Indian Marketing Development Centre's state-level seminar on small-scale entrepreneurs' development.

Mr Chouhan felt that setting up of large-scale industry was imperative for development but added that it could not wipe out unemployment.

''Self-help groups (SHGs) are being formed to improve the rural economy. The SHGs are being used as a medium for making funds available to women and the rural unemployed. Arrangements similar to the Bhopal Haat will be made at other divisional headquarters for marketing material produced by women SHGs,'' he said.

Assuring that welfare schemes would be drafted with public participation, the chief minister added that a forest-dwellers' panchayat was scheduled for January 6, 2007 and a youth panchayat would take place on January 12. A 'Yuva Mission' would be launched for maximising job opportunities for the youth in rural areas.

''The SHGs will be given the form of a campaign in rural areas so that unemployed persons in villages get jobs there itself,'' said Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

Of the state's 3.5 lakh SHGs, 2.5 lakh were formed in rural areas and of them 1.21 lakh were women SHGs.

UNI AG-AC 1656