800 SFURTI clusters to be set up to boost khadi industry

New Delhi: The government will set up 800 clusters under the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) with an investment of Rs.850 crore by March 2017 to boost khadi and village industries.

"Modernisation of khadi and village industries is the key to increase more number of job opportunities at the rural and grass root level without affecting the environment," Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Kalraj Mishra said on Sunday at a workshop here organised by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

MSME had launched the SFURTI scheme in 2005 to promote cluster development.

The scheme envisages need-based assistance for replacement of production equipment, setting up of common facility centres (CFC), product development, quality improvement, improved marketing, training and capacity building.