Centre increases margin money subsidy for HP artisans

Shimla, June 8 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Industries Minister Kuldeep Kumar today said the Centre had agreed in principal to increase the margin money subsidy to the state artisans under Khadi and Village Industries Sector.

Speaking in a national-level meeting of the National Khadi and Village Industries Board at New Delhi, Mr Kumar said that Himachal entrepreneurs would get 30 per cent margin money subsidy in future as against the present rate of 25 per cent.

He said the Central Government had agreed to allocate 75 per cent targets to the Khadi and Village Industries Board in near future.

The Minister said the present allocations of 50-50 to the Village and Khadi Industries Board and Khadi and Village Industries Commission would be changed keeping in view the vast geographical areas of the state and massive manpower and infrastructure available with Khadi and Village Industries Board.

He said that Khadi and Village Industries Commission would be engaged in monitoring, research and physical verification and backward and forward linkage activities.

Mr Kuldeep Kumar suggested that interest subsidy scheme should be reintroduced on revised terms and conditions, and demanded that 7 per cent to 8 per cent interest subsidy should be provided so that beneficiary may be charged only 5 per cent to 6 per cent rate of interest.

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 17,000 persons were provided employment in the khadi sector during the same period.

UNI