138 clusters adopted and developed in last three years by ensuring self-sustenance of the SHG/artisans

New Delhi : Under Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana(AHVY), the Government has taken initiative for  adoption of  viable craft clusters across the country and provision of need based interventions like design & technology upgradation, marketing platforms, distribution of tool-kits, welfare programmes, seminar and awareness camps.  Total 138 clusters have been adopted and developed in last three years by ensuring self-sustenance of the SHG/artisans of these clusters including Gujarat State. State wise number of beneficiaries covered under AHVY during the last three years is enclosed in Annexure-I.

The evaluations have been done across the country to assess the cluster activities.  As per recommendation of the evaluation report, Govt. organized 670 chaupals/shivirs all over the country for providing aadhar link pahchan card, facilitating the artisans through MUDRA loan and for onboarding the artisans on the Government c-Marketing (GeM) portal and making them aware of the e-commerce market. Further, the revised Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana(AHVY) Scheme considering the recommendation of Evaluation Report envisages taking up more viable craft clusters across the country covering SC, ST, Women, specially abled, tourism and export potential clusters. The Govt. is in the mode of forming producer companies now in various craft clusters across the country in view of increasing entrepreneurship and income of the artisans.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles Smt. Darshana Jardosh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

ANNEXURE-I

TOTAL NUMBER OF DIRECT BENEFICIARIES UNDER AHVY SCHEME

 (2019-2022)