Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) on Friday launched a unique Scheme called SPIN (Strengthening the Potential of India) and set up a pottery cluster under SFURTI Scheme in Varanasi to empower over 1100 people of the marginalized potters’ community on the occasion of 71th birth anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On this occasion, 780 electric potter wheels were sanctioned to the participants of SPIN Scheme. Further, in Gujarat, KVIC distributed 50 charkha to women artisans at Kevadia to engage them with self-employment and sustainable livelihood. Chairman KVIC Vinai Kumar Saxena was present on the occasion. PM Modi's birth anniversary is being celebrated as "Sewa Diwas".
Union Minister of State for MSME, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma launched the SPIN Scheme in which 780 potters from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand have registered for financial assistance from the bank to begin their own business. Out of these, 110 artisans are from Varanasi. Unlike Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, which is a subsidy-based program, SPIN Scheme enables the registered potters to get a direct loan from the banks under Pradhan Mantri Shishu Mudra Yojana. Under the SPIN Scheme, KVIC is acting as a facilitator for financial aid to potters through RBL bank and also providing training to the artisans, opting for this scheme.
Under this scheme, there will be no financial burden on the exchequer and the loan will be repaid by the potter in easy instalments. The SPIN scheme, thus, aims at infusing self-sustainability in the Indian pottery sector.
Verma also inaugurated “Kashi Pottery Cluster” at Village Bhatti in Varanasi. This is the first pottery cluster in Varanasi district set up by KVIC under the SFURTI Scheme. The cluster, set up over an area of 7100 square feet at the cost of Rs 2.50 crore, has provided direct employment to 340 pottery artisans who have been trained by KVIC. The cluster is equipped with modern equipment like furnaces, electric potter wheels, blunger machines, pug mills and other modern equipment for higher production of clay pottery.
“SPIN is a specially designed program to make potters self-sustainable. Under the scheme, KVIC will facilitate potters to get easy loans from banks that will help the potters to diversify their activities and enhance their income. This will reduce their dependence on government subsidy and thus make our potters self-reliant,” Verma said. He further said that the new Kashi pottery cluster will help traditional potters in increasing their skills with the help of modern equipment which will eventually help them occupy a bigger market space and get a better income.
Chairman KVIC, Saxena said sustainable development by creating local self-employment is the key objective of KVIC which is aligned with the Prime Minister’s commitment of “Job to Every Hand” (Har Hath Me Kaam).
