NET Web Desk
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) with its unique business model aims to empower women Agarbatti artisans in Assam.
Considered as a major employment creator in the state, the initiative is believed to strengthen the local Agarbatti industry.
KVIC has engaged a total of 70 tribal women under Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) to set up their own Agarbatti manufacturing units at Birkuchi in Kamrup district of Assam.
Besides, it has also roped-in a successful Assam-based local Agarbatti manufacturer as its business partner for supplying raw material, and then taking back all the Agarbatti produced by these 70 women entrepreneurs by paying labor charges.
These women belong to 7 Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Meanwhile, the Commission on Thursday also inaugurated a Multi-Disciplinary Training Centre (MDTC) at Rupnagar in Assam for providing training to young entrepreneurs in various self-employment activities like beekeeping, pottery, leather craft, etc.
According to PIB report, this Agarbatti business model has been referred unique, as women entrepreneurs will be free from the hassle of selling or marketing their finished goods.
On the other hand, the business partner will enhance its production of Agarbatti without incurring any capital cost on purchasing new machines.
It will also extend all technical support to these women entrepreneurs for manufacturing high quality Agarbatti. These 70 machines will produce a huge quantity of nearly 5600 KG Agarbatti daily that will be purchased by the business partner.
KVIC, under its flagship PMEGP scheme has facilitated a total financial aid of Rs 35 lakh – Rs 5 lakh for each of the 70 units, through Assam Gramin Vikash Bank, Guwahati for setting-up Agarbatti manufacturing units.
“It is a unique initiative to make India Aatmanirbhar in Agarbatti production while creating sustainable employment for women entrepreneurs in a very less investment. KVIC will also explore such business models in other parts of the country that will not empower small entrepreneurs but also increase domestic Agarbatti production substantially,” Saxena said.