GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Finance
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION N0.59
TO BE ANSWERED 0N NOVEMBER 22, 2012/AGRAHAYANA 01, 1934(SAKA)

QUESTION

Revival of Traditional Crafts by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

59. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR: 

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

(a)   whether NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is funding artisans in various parts of the country to revive traditional crafts;

(b)   if so, the details thereof;

(c)    whether artisans of Karnataka have also been funded by NABARD for this purpose;and

(d)   if so, the details thereof, and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)

 (a) to (d): Yes, Sir. NABARD is funding artisans in various parts of the country including Karnataka to revive traditional crafts. The details of these programmes are as under:

 (i) Rural Innovation Fund (RIF)

NABARD through its Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) supports innovative, risk-friendly, unconventional experiments, besides the ongoing projects in the Farm, Nonfarm and micro Finance sectors. A grant assistance of Rs. 21.98 lakh has been provided to "Disha Gramin Vikas Manch”, Bhagalpur District in Bihar in the year 2008-09 under Rural Innovation Fund;

(ii) Cluster Development Programme

NABARD supports revival of the traditional arts/crafts through its Cluster Development programme. These Clusters help in preserving traditional products of the country. NABARD has so far sanctioned 43 handicraft clusters in different states of which two handicraft clusters i.e. Natural Fibre cluster in Chitradurga district and Bidri craft cluster in Bidar district are in Karnataka. A sum of Rs. 7.99 lakh and Rs. 5.89 lakh· have so far been disbursed to these clusters in Karnataka. More than 200 artisans have been covered under the cluster programme in both the Clusters and they mostly belong to the backward class.