MSME Ministry brings SFURTI: 800 MSME Clusters

To promote traditional industries and create employment in rural areas and prepare action plan to ensure successful interaction and create platform for the exchange of ideas/thoughts on cluster developments, a National level workshop on revamped SFURTI (Scheme of fund for regeneration of traditional industries) ‘was organized by Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises here.

Shri Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister, Ministry of MSME in his key note address announced that during this 5 year plan 800 SFURTI clusters will be set up which will a great boost to the khadi and village industries. During the last five decades, KVIC has been promoting millions of traditional rural artisans and entrepreneurs of the country and is providing employment opportunities, the Minister said.

The Minister stated that modernization of Khadi and village industries is the key to increase more number of job opportunities at the rural and grass root level without affecting the environment. He further stated that this new phenomenon would enhance sustainable opportunities in this field.

Shri Giriraj Singh, Minister of State, for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was the guest of honor.

Books on SFURTI Guidelines, Success stories of Coir Cluster and EDP/SDP training with RSETIs were released on the occasion.

The scheme was announced with the financial allocation of Rs.72.94 crores with a target to implement 75 clusters (25 Khadi & 50 V.I.) in KVI sector. However, the Steering Committee of SFURTI approved 79 clusters (i.e. 29 Khadi and 50 Village Industries).

The overall progresses of SFURTI are as under:

• 51642 No. of Artisans have been covered, out of which 55% are women Artisans
  34292 Artisans have been trained.
• 126 Common Facility Centers have been established.
• 1706 No. of Self Help Group (SHGs) are formed.
• About 55 percent beneficiaries of SFURTI scheme are women and this has been able to provide the due status, equity, empowerment to the women.
• The benefit has gone to marginalised section of the community (70 percent in Khadi and 82 percent V.I.).
• 16 Technical Agencies took part in the process of implementation of programme
• 32 Sales outlets covering 62796 sq. ft area have been renovated
•  Income of Artisans have been enhanced by 65% in Khadi and 38% in V.I.
• Mott Mac Donald a private agency conducted Evaluation Study across the country has the following findings:
• About 55 percent beneficiaries of SFURTI scheme are females and this has been able to provide the due status, equity, empowerment to the women.
• The benefit has gone to marginalised section of the community (70 percent in Khadi and 82 percent V.I.).
• New Model Charkha (NMC) for spinning were introduced and that has increased not only productivity but also their earnings as well as improved quality of the product.
• Hundreds of new designs across the clusters is an asset to the industry. The programme given life to the clusters up to a great extent.

The Target for the revamped SFURTI Clusters under 12th five Year Plan to setup 800 Clusters under KVI and Coir with an outlay of Rs.850 Cr. to cover 4 Lakh Artisans across the Country. Assistance from Multilateral Development Bank is also to be leverage to extend support under SFURTI Programme.

Shri S.N. Tripathi, Jt. Secretary, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Shri B.H. Anil Kumar, Commissioner/CEO KVIC/Jt. Secretary, MSME were also present on the occasion. Technical agencies, implementing agencies, NGOs, Banks officials from Ministries, Govt. Departments KVIC, State Khadi Boards, Coir Board also participated in the workshop.