Week-long awareness-cum-exhibition Mela organised in J-K's Rajouri

With an aim to provide assistance to the people of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe and unemployed youth and make them self-reliant, Rajouri district administration organised a seven-day long mega awareness-cum-exhibition Mela, under the Government of India's National SC/ST Hub.

With an aim to provide assistance to the people of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe and unemployed youth and make them self-reliant, Rajouri district administration orgsed a seven-day long mega awareness-cum-exhibition Mela, under the Government of India's National SC/ST Hub.

Speaking to on the sixth day of the program, Khadi Village Industries Board (KVIB) Chairman Masroor Ahmed told said, "Orgsed as part of the Government of India's National SC/ST Hub, the programme was aimed at making people aware of various schemes on Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe welfare, entrepreneurship, COVID-19, various loans and subsidies given by the administration."

KVIB Vice-Chairperson, Hena Bhatt said that Jammu and Kashmir have full support from the Centre and the administration is leaving no stone unturned in developing the union territory.

"It is necessary for government officials to visit people, communicate with them and make them aware of various welfare schemes being run by the administration so that they can be availed in a better manner. By orgsing this festival we want to make people aware and provide them with a platform to market their products. We are also planning to develop a cluster and open a sewing centre in Rajouri where people will be trained. We want people to run their own businesses here and become self-reliant," she said.

She further added that unlike under the previous governments, a lot of changes have already taken place in Jammu and Kashmir under this government because the current administration is accountable and transparent.

She requested the people of Jammu and Kashmir to avail themselves of the maximum possible benefit from the welfare schemes being run by the government.Deputy Chief Executive Officer, KVIB, Jammu Division said: "The main message of the Khadi Village Industries Board is to provide financial support to downtrodden people and unemployed youth by granting financial support and making them independent.

Among the three types of industries, which are large scale, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Cottage, Rajouri has more scope for cottage industries looking at its terrain. Promoting the products of SCs and STs is one of the main reasons we have orgsed this program."

Another official of KVIB, Jammu, Sameer Ahmed told , "The main aim of doing this program is to provide a platform to market the products made by all the entrepreneurs belonging to the SC/ST community, under the Government of India's scheme, National Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe Hub. The KVIB has orgsed an exhibition which has been underway for seven days and today is the sixth day."

The National SC/ST Hub has been set up to provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs to fulfil the obligations under the Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises Order 2012, adopt applicable business practices and leverage the Stand-Up India initiative.

The Hub is being implemented by the Ministry of MSME through National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public-sector undertaking under the administrative control of this Ministry.

( With inputs from ANI )