KVIC adopts two villages under SMARTGRAM Initiative

Realising the vision of President Pranab Mukherjee of making villages economically vibrant, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has decided to adopt two out of 100 villages – selected under the SMARTGRAM Initiative of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The decision was taken few days before a function was held at Dhaula village in Haryana, where the President laid the foundation stone of a Drivers' Training School and a Secondary School.

Giving this information, KVIC Chairman, Vinai Kumar Saxena said that following the call from the President, that success in SMARTGRAM initiative is possible only when the government, private sector, academic institutions, NGOs and people in the villages come together for the development of villages, the KVIC has made a commitment to the President House, for providing its full co-operation in development of the two villages, i.e. Raisina and Lohtaka – adopted by the commission.

"On the advice of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the KVIC will implement all Khadi and village industries' programs in both the villages, to generate sustainable employment for the villagers there. We have decided to launch our bee-keeping, spinning, weaving and stitching centres in both the villages, where the villagers will be provided proper training to eke out their livelihood," he said, adding, "Not only that, we will also implement our small-scale industries' other various skill-oriented and employment-generating programs like incense stick-making, candle-making, pottery and pickle-making. The KVIC will also conduct sensitisation programs for the youths about the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) followed by facilitating loans from different nationalised banks under the PMEGP – to generate 100 percent employment in these villages."

Vinai Saxena further said that both the villages would be developed as 'model' villages. "We will also train the villagers about the bio-gas plants there, besides distributing Charkhas and looms among the villagers," he said, adding, "The villagers, particularly the youth appear enthusiastic about KVIC's programs there."

Earlier, the Rashtrapati Bhawan secretariat had asked the KVIC to come forward in implementation of its schemes in these villages. "We accepted this proposal whole-heartedly and the President's Secretariat has appreciated the KVIC as a valued partner in the SMARTGRAM initiative. In an official letter, it has categorically mentioned that active participation of KVIC in both the villages under the initiative will go a long way in realising the vision of the President to make the villages economically developed," he added.