Gujarat govt announces policy for cottage and village industries

Apart from branding and marketing support, state will also start a pilot project named One Village One Product to restore handicrafts

Continuing its efforts to gain lost ground in the rural and semi-urban areas in recent local body polls, the Gujarat government on Monday announced a dedicated policy for cottage and village industries.

Under the policy, apart from providing branding and marketing support to cottage and village industries, the state government also announced starting a pilot project named One Village One Product (OVOP) to restore dwindling handicrafts.

Under new Cottage and Village Industries Policy 2016, the state government will provide assistance for diagnostic research, raw material supply and design development support to the villages which are select for OVOP pilot project.

 

"Under the new policy, the state government has taken several new initiatives for the betterment of artisans of the cottage industry. Gujarat government is planning to set up designer studio for khadi and handicraft products," said Saurabh Patel, minister for industries, Gujarat government.

The state government will also organise educational seminars for artisans of the cottage industry where reputed designer associates from CEPT, NID and NIFT will provide training on use of technology for mass production of traditional crafts.

With use of e-commerce platform, government will help consumers connect directly with the artisans. Moreover, purchasing limit without tendering is also being increased for khadi and village industry products.

To activate public-private partnership (PPP) in the sector, government has increased financial assistance limit from Rs 3 crore to Rs 7 crore for viable projects under Craft Business Development Center (CBDC) scheme. Moreover, the state will provide relaxation for land acquisition under Cluster Development Scheme (CDS) and Gramudhyog Vikaas Kendra (GVK) scheme for development of cooperative of these industries.

"To promote woman artisans for their work, woman artisans will be extend award money worth Rs 1.25 lakh," said Patel.

The new policy will provide support for machinery or equipment and production assistance. Artisans will get 75 per cent financial assistance on purchase of electronics machineries. The state government will also set up raw material bank for selected craft for ease of supply.