Need for More Agro Clusters Under MSME for Job Creation In Rural Areas

Giriraj Singh MoS MSME emphasized the need for more agro clusters under the MSME Ministry for job creation. He said it is quite alarming that women are losing employment and are forced to migrate to cities. To minimize both unemployment and migration, the Minister said that the agro-clusters can act as a catalyst for the creation of more jobs in rural India, especially for women.

The Minister was delivering the valedictory address at the end of the two-days’ Conference of Development Institutes, Technology Centres and Tool Rooms under the Ministry of MSME. The Minister also desired that wide publicity should be given to the successful ventures of MSME Ministry like clusters and tool rooms so that many more may be set-up in the country.

The Minister further added that the schemes under MSMEs in different Ministries should reach the village level for which he urged the Development Institutes to coordinate with district functionaries.
India’s cultural diversity provides a significant number of regional village industries manufacturing typically traditional and heritage-based products across the country ranging from traditional textile weaving to pottery and art and even medicine. Practically every state has its own culture and traditional art based village industry. These industries have immense potential to export to global markets. Many of the traditional industries are based on the principle of using natural colors, eco-friendly material, etc. which offers a special competitive advantage in the global markets. Given the right impetus in terms of exposure to global markets, financial support and basic infrastructure the village industries can play a significant role in transforming the rural landscape of India.

Large portion of the traditional and village industries is un-organized / informal and includes sub-segments like handloom, handicraft, leather, cottage match, vegetable oil, gud/khandsari, sericulture, and pottery. Additionally, service-based traditional industries also include Ayurveda and other traditional medicine and yoga. The traditional medicine and yoga has also percolated to a significant extent in the urban – semi-urban belt and is a fast-growing market – especially Yoga. Tradition-based village industries account for the majority of the global demand for certain products. For example – India is the largest supplier of handwoven fabric and caters to more than 90 percent of the global demand.