CM Dr. Yadav for online sales services for small scale businessman

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has said that the Cottage and Village Industries Department should maximize efforts in providing online sales platform for small business owners involved in domestic industries. He directed the department to focus on developing its own portal and serve as the nodal agency for promoting small and micro industries. The goal is to enable these locally-produced goods to be sold both within the state and across the country, with the potential for future export. Additionally, Dr. Yadav called for arrangements to support women traders by organizing weekly Mahila Haat events at Bhopal Haat and other locations across the state. The Chief Minister was reviewing the department’s schemes during a meeting held at the Mantralaya on Wednesday, which was also attended by Minister of State for Cottage and Village Industries Shri Dilip Jaiswal.

During the meeting, it was informed that a Unity Mall will be established in Ujjain, serving as a one-stop marketplace for promoting and selling products under the One District-One Product initiative, GI-tagged items, handicrafts and other local goods. This will be the first Unity Mall of its kind in the country and the process is underway for the same. Additionally, 100% financial assistance will be provided for the education of children of handloom weavers and workers who secure admission to National Institutes of Repute, and process is underway to implement this initiative as well.

In the meeting, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav emphasized on the need to prioritize environmental protection in small industries such as dona-pattal manufacturing by promoting the use of plant-based materials instead of plastic. He also called for organizing training programmes for idol sculptors, facilitated by renowned sculptors from both within the state and across the country. Additionally, he stressed the importance of providing economic opportunities to local communities by equipping them with skills to create garments for deities at religious sites across the state.

Increase bamboo production and honey collection

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the Cottage and Village Industries Department should benefit cottage industries like incense stick manufacturing by encouraging bamboo producers. In those districts where bamboo production is low, dense plantation and development of bamboo on the banks of rivers will help in preventing soil erosion.

Simultaneously, the benefit of bamboo production will also be available. Economic benefits should be provided to women by training them for handloom. The income of Ladli Behnas can be boosted by connecting them with such works. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that honey collection is done on a large scale in rural areas, but despite having many flower nurseries in cities, there are currently no necessary arrangements for this work. Arrangements and facilities should be developed at such places. With these efforts, citizens will get pure honey instead of substandard honey and honey collectors will also be able to get economic benefits. For this, the Cottage and Village Industries Department should make necessary training arrangements. The increased honey production should be sold through Mriganayani and other sales counters.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that several schemes of loans and grants are being run for small businessmen to upgrade their businesses. Department officials should also make efforts to resolve the cases at the bank level quickly. CM Dr. Yadav said that India International Trade Fair is being held in Kolkata in the coming month of December. Efforts should be made to exhibit and sell various crafts of the state in it.

Achievements

Apprising about the achievements of the department in the meeting, it was told that Handloom Directorate, Silk Directorate, Khadi and Village Industries Board, Sant Ravidas Handicraft and Handloom Development Corporation, Madhya Pradesh Mati Kala Board, Madhya Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Union Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh State Sericulture Development and Trading Cooperative Federation and Madhya Pradesh State Industrial Cooperative Federation are working under the department. The department has activated all the institutions by implementing the points of Sankalp Patra: 2024. Vindhya Herbals has taken the initiative to start a honey processing unit in Gwalior in the interest of beekeepers. In this financial year, work is being done to train 200 beneficiaries under the Skill Development Scheme and provide financial facility in PMEGP in the state. Training has been provided to 40 beneficiaries associated with incense stick manufacturing in the state. Financial facility has been provided to 9 beneficiaries in PMEGP. Steps have also been taken to start new branches of Mriganayani Emporium in major cities to promote local art works under Resham Samridhi Yojana, quality certification, branding and marketing activities, to provide market support. Under skill upgradation, provision has been made to provide incentives for basic skill training and advanced skill training. A project has been prepared for Khadi Utpadan Kendra in Burhanpur, which will provide employment to 550 people.

It was informed in the meeting that 30 women beneficiaries in Ujjain have been given training in making clothes for deities and 40 sculptors have been given training in stonecraft. Mati Kala Board has given training in Mati Kala craft to 1792 artisans. Eco-friendly idols of Lord Ganesha have been made available for sale through Khadi Board’s Emporium. Khadi Board is running 18 departmental emporiums in the state. The arrangements for sale through Amazon and Flipkart are being strengthened. In the last eight months, sales worth Rs 1182.50 lakh have been made from Mriganyani Emporium and Mela Exhibition. On the eve of International Women’s Day, on March 7, 2024, 79 thousand 500 women participated in the state through One India Sari Walkathon. In this, 27 thousand women participated in Indore, which was also certified by the World Book Record Institute. 18 beneficiaries were given insurance benefits under the Weavers Mudra Scheme of the Government of India and 230 weavers were given insurance benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. Efforts are being made to develop the Government Silk Centre Malakhedi as an international export centre. Silk Tech Park has been established in the Government Silk Centre of Pachmarhi.

Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Rajesh Rajoura, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Raghvendra Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary Village Industries Shri Amit Rathore and other officers were present in the meeting at the Chief Minister’s Office.