New Delhi, July 27 (KNN) The Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) has taken up 39 clusters under Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojna (AHVY) for the overall development of artisans in Assam which has benefitted 4970 artisans during the last two years, said Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister of Textiles.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, she said the Office of Textile Commissioner has been providing subsidy under the Amended Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (A-TUFS) to the investors (including the State of Assam) and is also processing new proposals for availing subsidy for up gradation of machines from the investors.

In the Mega Handloom Cluster at Sivasagar in the State of Assam, private investments are encouraged in projects which are sanctioned in the PPP mode in 80:20 ratio, wherein Government provides 80% funding and 20% funding is done by the investor, i.e. Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which also provides the land for the project, she added.

Since 2017, Govt. of India has released Rs 6.91 crores for such projects in Assam with the investor participation at Rs 1.91 Crores., she said.

Under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), a proposal to establish two Eri Spun Silk Mills in Assam and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) under Government Sector has been approved during 2018-19.

The Government has set up a Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) under Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act with a view to timely detect sick and potentially sick companies and for taking remedial measures, she added.

Minister asserted that NERTPS the Indian government, through Central Silk Board, has taken measures to increase silk production in Assam by implementing sericulture projects in four categories.

These categories are- Integrated Sericulture Development Project (ISDP) and Intensive Bivoltine Sericulture Development Project (IBSDP), Eri Spun Silk Mills (ESSM) and Aspirational District (AD).

“As on date, no proposal to grant special packages to the Assam Cooperative Jute Mills Ltd., Silghat, Nagaon (Assam) is under consideration,” Irani said.

“However, preferential treatment is given in allocation of Production cum Supply Orders (PCSOs) as per its capacity under the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) [JPM Act], 1987 because of its disadvantageous geographical location and limited options for local markets,” Irani added.