Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, recently presided over a distribution event in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, where various equipment and machines were provided to 340 beneficiaries under Gramodyog Vikas Yojana to boost local industries and generate employment opportunities.
During the event, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma highlighted the significant contribution of the MSME sector to India's economy, constituting one-third of the nation's GDP and employing over 12 crore individuals. He commended the sector's growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Minister also praised the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for its exceptional efforts in rural employment generation over the past nine years.
Manoj Kumar, Chairman of KVIC, expressed his commitment to fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of providing employment to every village. He proudly shared that under the Prime Minister's guidance, KVIC achieved a remarkable milestone with the turnover of Khadi and Village Industries products crossing Rs 1.34 lakh crore in the previous financial year. Manoj Kumar also emphasized KVIC's initiative to provide tools and machinery to workers in traditional industries under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana, aiming to improve their standard of living and increase their income.
The distribution event witnessed the allocation of various equipment to artisans and workers. Over 25,000 electric wheel sets were given to potters across the country, leading to a three to fourfold increase in their income. Additionally, more than 2 lakh bee-boxes and bee-colonies were distributed to 20 thousand beekeepers, resulting in a significant 25 to 30 percent increase in farmers' yields.
Manoj Kumar lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's transformative leadership, which has made India more self-reliant and a source of inspiration for the world. He emphasized the need to adopt the "Make in India" and "Make for the World" approach to realize the Prime Minister's vision of taking local products to the global stage.
Local political representatives also lauded the Gram Vikas Yojana implemented by KVIC, emphasizing that traditional artisans could achieve self-employment through such schemes. The Mayor of Ayodhya, Girishpati Tripathi, encouraged people to utilize indigenous products from Khadi and village industries, thereby fostering more job opportunities in rural areas.
During the distribution program, 260 potters from districts including Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Jalaun, Jhansi, Mau, and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh received electric wheels. Additionally, 20 workers from Kanpur Dehat received Agarbatti Making Machines, and 60 workers from Lakhmipur Kheri, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Azamgarh were provided with turnwood craft machines. The event witnessed the presence of Uttar Pradesh Government officials, as well as representatives from KVIC.
