The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is planning a major publicity campaign in 10 southern districts to impart a thrust to the Centre's flagship project — Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
The KVIC’s Madurai Division is going to conduct a State-level exhibition at Madurai in February to showcase products made by PMEGP entrepreneurs.
M. T. Wakode, Divisional Director, Madurai Division, KVIC, told The Hindu on Thursday that five more expositions at the district level has been scheduled within this fiscal to be held at Karaikudi, Pudukottai, Kodaikanal, Palayamkottai and Kanyakumari.
Besides providing a platform for the entrepreneurs to display their products free of cost, the exhibitions would also offer artisans market assistance and free publicity.
“The Madurai Division is also going to conduct 20 PMEGP awareness camps totally with two camps in each of the ten southern districts besides two workshops at Madurai and Tirunelveli. The first of the 20 camps, held at Periakulam in Theni district on Wednesday, attracted over 200 persons,” he said.
Details of government schemes to be made available
The awareness programmes would not only be filled with speeches to motivate locals to take to entrepreneurship, but would also disperse details of various Government schemes and subsidies available.
If interested persons came forward after the meeting seeking help to start ventures under PMEGP, the KVIC officials would provide technical assistance and help prepare project reports. These reports would be submitted to the district's Task Force Committee chaired by the Collector, he said.
The Periakulam camp saw around 25 persons approach KVIC officials to take up brick-making and honey-bee rearing ventures under PMEGP in rural areas. Many others also approached the District Industries Centre, which deals with opening ventures in urban areas, said Mr. Wakode.
The KVIC officials were also going to undertake a survey of various places to identify which kind of trade would suit the local conditions.
