Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, PMEGP is estimated to have generated over 11,13, 000 employments during the last three years i.e. 2015-16 to 2017-18. This information was given by Minister of state for Micro,Smalland Medium Enterprises, Shri Giriraj Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. PMEGP is a credit linked subsidy scheme, for setting up of new micro-enterprises and to generate employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas of the country through KVIC, State Khadi & Village Industries Board (KVIB) and District Industries Centre (DIC). Under the PMEGP, general category beneficiaries can avail of margin money subsidy of 25% of the project cost in rural areas and 15% in urban areas. For beneficiaries belonging to SC/ST/Women/PH/Minorities/Ex-Servicemen/NER, the margin money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. The maximum cost of projects is Rs.25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and Rs.10 lakh in the service sector.

The Minister further said that in order to revive the sick Khadi Institutions, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) implements 'Strengthening of Infrastructure of Existing Weak Khadi Institutions and assistance for Marketing Infrastructure' scheme. The scheme is meant to meet the need based support to the sick Khadi Institutions which have potential to attain normalcy. The minister however said that there is no plan to reopen the closed Khadi Gramodyog centres situated amongst different panchayats of the country. He said various schemes have been implemented and progressive works done for the Khadi and Village Industries during the last three years. Meanwhile sales performance of entire sector under Khadi and Village Industries has increased from Rs. 41894.56 crore in 2015-16 to Rs. 60451.28 crore in 2017-18, according to provisional details. In reply to another question, Shri Giriraj Singh stated that the new model Charkhas give good quality yarn and enhanced wages to the Khadi artisans due to increase of production capacity.