New Delhi, Sept 17 (KNN) Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on Thursday announced new guidelines for schemes such as Pottery and Beekeeping activity under which it expanded and doubled the support for these two activities.

''A few days ago, the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), had announced expanding and doubling the support to Artisans who might be interested in making Agarbatti. Taking these efforts further, the Ministry has now come out with new guidelines for two more schemes which include ‘Pottery Activity’ and ‘Beekeeping Activity','' an official statement said.

It further said that these new initiatives of the Ministry with beneficiary-oriented Self-Employment schemes, are aimed at rejuvenating the grass root economy contributing to AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

''For ‘Pottery Activity’ the government will provide assistance with pottery wheel, Clay Blunger, Granulator etc. It will also provide Wheel Pottery Training for traditional pottery artisans and Press Pottery training for pottery as well as non-pottery artisans in Self Help Groups,'' it said.

Under the new guidelines there is also a provision to provide a Jigger-Jolly training programme for pottery as well as non-pottery artisan in Self Help Groups.

With the new guidelines the Ministry aims to enhance the production, technical knowhow of pottery artisans and to develop new products at reduced costs;  to enhance the income of pottery artisans through training and modern and automated equipment; to provide skill-development to SHGs of pottery-artisans on focused and decorative products, with new pottery designs; to encourage the successful traditional potter to set up unit under PMEGP scheme; to develop necessary market linkages by tying up with exports and large buying houses; to innovate new products and raw materials to make international scale pottery in the country; Preparing them to graduate from pottery to crockery and Trainer's training programme for skilled pottery artisans who want to work as Master Trainers.

''A total of 6075 Traditional and others (non-traditional) pottery artisans, rural unemployed youth and migrant labourers will benefit from this scheme,'' the statement added.

It also said that an amount of Rs 19.50 crore will be expended to support 6075 artisans with a Centre of Excellence, with MGIRI, Wardha, CGCRI, Khurja, VNIT, Nagpur and suitable IIT, NID and NIFT etc, for product development, advance skill programme, and quality standardization of products.

''Additional amount of Rs 50.00 crore has been provisioned for setting up of clusters in Terracotta, Red clay pottery, with new innovative value-added products to build pottery to crockery and tile making capabilities, under 'SFURTI' scheme of the Ministry,'' the statement said.

In case of the Scheme for ‘Beekeeping Activity’, the government will provide assistance with Bee boxes, Tool kits etc. Under this scheme, Bee boxes, with Bee colonies, will also be distributed to migrant workers in Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan (PMGKRA) districts.

''A 5 days’ beekeeping training will also be provided to the beneficiaries through various training centres /state beekeeping extension centres/ master trainers as per prescribed syllabus,'' it said.

To begin with, the scheme proposes to cover, during 2020-21, a total of 2050 beekeepers, entrepreneurs, farmers, unemployed youth, adivasis will get benefited from these projects. For this purpose, a financial support of Rs 13.00 crore during 2020-21 has been provisioned to support 2050 artisans (1250 people from Self Help Groups and 800 Migrant labourers), with a Centre of Excellence with CSIR, IIT or other top-class institute to develop honey based new value-added products.

Additional amount of Rs 50.00 crore has also been kept for developing Beekeeping honey clusters under the 'SFURTI scheme of the Ministry.

''Detailed guidelines for these Schemes in English and Hindi have been put on the Ministry's websites. The same are also being circulated through social media outreach,'' the Ministry said.