27 rural business hubs set up in Karnataka
New Kerala
Bangalore: Central Minister for Panchayat Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar Friday inaugurated 27 rural business hubs in Karnataka to stimulate economic development in villages by involving local bodies, banks and non-government organisations (NGOs).
Set up in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the hubs will enable the rural folk to engage in vocational services and produce a range of products, including handicraft that will be promoted and marketed in urban areas, Aiyar said.
The national rural employment guarantee scheme, providing 100 days of work to the rural folk, covers six districts in Karnataka.
“If urban India boasts of three Ps (public private partnership), rural India will have four Ps (public, private panchayat partnership). Based on the success of these hubs, hundreds more can be set up in the remaining 23 districts of the state,” Aiyar said.
Of the 27 hubs, 20 in Tumkur and Mysore districts of south Karnataka will take up feeder franchise for power distribution in rural areas. The selected candidates will be trained and authorised to manage the distribution network and collect user charges.
General Electric (GE) will provide the necessary equipment to ensure quality power supply and minimise voltage fluctuations.
Of the remaining seven hubs in Bellary and Koppal districts of north Karnataka, five will engage rural artisans and skilled workforce to make handicraft and novelties in collaboration with the National Institute Of Fashion Design (NIFT), Bangalore. The other two hubs will promote integrated business solutions involving unemployed rural youth.
The hubs will be funded by the central government under the Swarna Jayanti Gramswar Rozagar Yojana. Rural and cooperative banks will be authorised to grant loans at lower interest rates.
“The hubs will function as nodal agencies to monitor development of rural infrastructure, including roads, communications, transportation, drinking water and primary health care,” said C.M. Udasi, Karnataka’s minister for rural development and panchayat raj.