**Executive Summary**
The document is an answer provided by the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to the Lok Sabha regarding the promotion of Khadi and Village Industries in West Bengal as of February 12, 2026. The answer details initiatives undertaken by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and the Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) to support these industries. Additionally, it provides the number of beneficiaries and financial allocations made for these programs.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **KVIC Initiatives:**
* **Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (KGVY):** Promotes Khadi and Village industries with two components:
* **Khadi Vikas Yojana (KVY):** Supports the Khadi sector through schemes like Modified Market Development Assistance (MMDA), Interest Subsidy Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), and infrastructure strengthening.
* **Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY):** Promotes village industries through common facilities, technology upgradation, and training, focusing on sectors like agro-based, mineral-based, and service industries.
* **Skill Development and Training:** KVIC conducts skill development and entrepreneurship training through various centers for self-employment and job creation.
* **Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK):** Established with NIFT to provide design intervention, product development, capacity building, and market support.
* **Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP):** Implemented to assist micro-entrepreneurs in establishing new units.
* **Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI):** Promotes cluster-based development to preserve rural arts, benefiting 9,950 artisans.
* **E-commerce Portal:** KVIC operates an e-commerce portal (www.khadiindia.gov.in) for online marketing access to KVI units.
* **KVIB Role in West Bengal:**
* KVIB functions under the administrative control of the Government of West Bengal, promoting KVI activities through state and central schemes.
* 32,578 khadi artisans are engaged in West Bengal under the Khadi sector.
* 1,830 beneficiaries have been trained and provided with toolkits under GVY in the last three years.
* **Financial Allocations (2024-25):**
* ₹15.41 lakh (provisional) disbursed by KVIC for the promotion of khadi products.
* ₹29.18 lakh (provisional) disbursed for marketing initiatives.
* **Focus on Women Empowerment:**
* KGVY emphasizes women artisans and entrepreneurs.
* Approximately 18,780 women artisans are engaged under Khadi Vikas Programme.
* Approximately 700 women artisans have been benefited under various verticals of Gramodyog Vikas Programme since last five years.
* 9,294 women candidates have been trained under SDP and EAP programmes in the last three years.
**Impact Analysis**
**Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing various schemes and initiatives to promote Khadi and Village Industries.
* **Action Required:** Continue executing and expanding these initiatives, monitoring their effectiveness, and adapting strategies based on feedback and results.
**Artisans and Entrepreneurs in West Bengal (especially Women)**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of the various schemes, training programs, and financial assistance, leading to employment, income generation, and skill development.
* **Action Required:** Participate in available programs, leverage training opportunities, and utilize financial assistance to establish and grow their businesses.
**Consumers of Khadi and Village Industry Products**
* **Impact:** Have access to a wider variety of Khadi and Village Industry products through promotional activities, marketing support, and the e-commerce portal.
* **Action Required:** Support local artisans and industries by purchasing Khadi and Village Industry products, contributing to the growth and sustainability of these sectors.
Key Entities Referenced
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC): Commission promoting khadi and village industries, implementing various schemes and initiatives.
Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (KGVY): Scheme promoting khadi and village industries, with components Khadi Vikas Yojana (KVY) and Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY).
West Bengal: Indian state where khadi and village industries promotion activities are being undertaken.
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Ministry responsible for implementing the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) through the KVIC
Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB): The State Board of West Bengal which promotes Khadi and Village Industries activities.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2082
TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026
PROMOTION OF KHADI AND VILLAGE INDUSTRIES IN WEST BENGAL
2082. SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:
Will the Minister of MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:
(a) the initiatives undertaken by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to
promote khadi and village industries in West Bengal;
(b) the current status of the Khadi and Village Industries Board in West Bengal and the
number of artisans benefited from the Ministry’s schemes in the State;
(c) the allocation of funds for the promotion of khadi products and marketing initiatives in
West Bengal; and
(d) whether the Government has introduced any special programs to support women artisans
and entrepreneurs in the khadi and village industries sector in West Bengal and if so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a): Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has taken various initiatives for the
promotion and development of khadi and village industries in the country including West Bengal
State through the Khadi and Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (KGVY). KGVY has following two
components:
Khadi Vikas Yojana (KVY), promotes and supports Khadi sector through the existing schemes
components like Modified Market Development Assistance (MMDA), Interest Subsidy
Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans, Strengthening
infrastructure of existing weak Khadi Institutions, Assistance for Marketing Infrastructure and
Khadi (Science and technology).
Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY), promotes village industries through common facilities,
technology upgradation, training and toolkit distribution. GVY supports various activities
under the following components/verticals of Village Industries: Agro Based & Food
Processing Industry (ABFPI), Mineral Based Industry (MBI), Wellness & Cosmetics Industry
(WCI), Handmade Paper, Leather & Plastic Industry (HPLPI), Rural Engineering & New
Technology Industry (RENTI), and Service Industry.
KVIC also conducts Skill Development and entrepreneurship training for youth through 35
Departmental and Non-Departmental Training Centres, and 25 training partners. These
Training Centres impart need based training under various disciplines, viz. soap and detergent
making, food items, bakery products, readymade garments making, beekeeping, agarbatti
making, candle making, motor repairing etc to promote self-employment and jobs.: 2 :
A Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK) has been established by KVIC in collaboration with
the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi under a Hub-and-Spoke
model to provide design intervention, product development, capacity building, and market
support for khadi products. The Kolkata spoke centre supports Khadi Institutions and artisans
in West Bengal.
Ministry of MSME, through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) implements
Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) to assist micro entrepreneurs
in establishing new units in the non-farm sector including village industries in West Bengal.
Under the scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), KVIC
promotes cluster based development of traditional industries to preserve rural arts and crafts in
the country including West Bengal. A total of 9,950 traditional artisans are likely to be
benefited across SFURTI clusters in West Bengal. The SFURTI Scheme was in continuation
till 30.09.2022.
KVIC operates e-commerce portal www.khadiindia.gov.in wherein around 5000 plus various
KVI products are on-boarded. This provides digital marketing access to various KVI units.
(b): The Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) in West Bengal functions under the
administrative control of the Government of West Bengal and promotes Khadi and Village
Industries (KVI) activities by implementation of various schemes of the State as well as Central
Government. Under Khadi sector, a cumulative total of 32,578 khadi artisans are engaged in West
Bengal. Further, under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY), 1,830 beneficiaries have been trained
and provided with toolkits during the last three years in the State.
(c): During the year 2024–25, a total fund of ₹15.41 lakh (provisional) has been disbursed by the
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in the State of West Bengal for the promotion of
khadi products. Further, during the same year, ₹29.18 lakh (provisional) has been disbursed under
the marketing head for marketing initiatives.
(d): Khadi and Village Industries sector is playing a crucial role in generating employment in the
country including West Bengal State through the implementation of the Khadi Gramodyog Vikas
Yojana (KGVY). Focus has been given to women artisans and entrepreneurs, as a large proportion
of the workforce engaged in the Khadi and Village Industries sector comprises women.
Under Khadi Vikas programme, approximately 18780 women artisans are engaged in
West Bengal.
Approx. 700 women artisans have been benefitted under various verticles of Gramodyog
Vikas Programme since last five years.
Under SDP and EAP programme of Capacity Building, a total of 9294 women
candidates have been trained during the last three years.
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