Bhubaneswar: The state government Saturday told the Assembly that it has received 7,931 applications under Pradhan Mantri Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) while less than 10 per cent have reaped the benefits of the scheme.
The information was given by the State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra. In his written reply to the House, the minister furnished the details of activities undertaken under the scheme and the number of people benefitted.
The minister said that till now a total of 7,931 applications have been received by the government of which 762 (9.6 per cent) have availed the benefits of the programme. The margin money (subsidy) paid for the beneficiaries in the scheme stood at Rs 2,286 lakh.
The Union MSME Ministry is implementing PMEGP, which is a major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and unemployed youth.
The minister said that those who have recently returned to the state due to the Covid-19 infection can benefit from the scheme and he also encouraged the entrepreneurs to invest in the state by taking the advantage through the provisions of Odisha Industrial Policy, Odisha Food Processing Policy and Odisha MSME Development Policy, introduced by the Government of Odisha.
“Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) and District Industrial Centres (DICs) sponsored by the Government of India-sponsored PMEGP is being implemented in the state,” he said.
Any individual above 18 years of age is eligible to apply under the scheme. General category beneficiaries can avail margin money subsidy of 25 per cent of the project cost in rural areas and 15 per cent in urban areas.
