SFURTI Scheme, Launch Date, Objectives, Significance

The Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI Scheme) was introduced in 2005 by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, to promote the cluster-based development of traditional industries. The SFURTI Scheme was introduced to make these industries more competitive, productive, and economically viable as well as generating long-term employment opportunities for rural artisans and entrepreneurs. Several other related schemes have been integrated into SFURTI for better implementation. It also focuses on promoting innovation, improved designs, and access to domestic and global markets.

SFURTI Scheme Objectives

1. To enhance the productivity, competitiveness, and profitability of traditional industries.
2. To provide employment for traditional industry artisans and rural entrepreneurs.
3. To create Common Facility Centres (CFCs) to support artisans and generate sustainable employment opportunities.
4. To support new product development, design improvements, and market promotion.
5. To focus on innovative skills, improved technologies, and encourage new public-private partnership models to replicate successful cluster-based traditional industries.

Merged Schemes with SFURTI

Under the revised guidelines, several related schemes have been integrated into SFURTI for better implementation:

1. Enhancing Productivity and Competitiveness of Khadi Industry and Artisans.
2. Product Development, Design Intervention, and Packaging (PRODIP).
3. Rural Industries Service Center (RISC).
4. Smaller initiatives like Ready Warp Units and Ready to Wear Mission.

SFURTI Scheme Significance

1. Provides artisans with the tools, infrastructure, and skills to enhance productivity and income.
2. Promoting traditional industries like khadi, bamboo, and honey, ensuring their survival.
3. Encourages rural artisans to transition into self-sustaining entrepreneurs.
4. Helps artisans and traditional industries leverage modern design, packaging, and branding for domestic and international markets.

SFURTI Scheme Types of Interventions

The SFURTI Scheme includes three types of interventions:

Soft Interventions

• Activities such as general awareness, skill development, capacity building, counseling, exposure visits, and market promotion initiatives.
• Includes participation in technology upgrade workshops, seminars, and design development programs.

Hard Interventions

• Creation of physical infrastructure such as Common Facility Centres (CFCs), Raw Material Banks (RMBs), warehouses, training centers, and value addition facilities.
• Upgrading production tools, infrastructure, and technologies.

Thematic Interventions

• Sector-level initiatives like brand-building, marketing campaigns, e-Commerce integration, and innovations targeting domestic and international markets.

SFURTI Scheme Achievement

1. From 2015 to November 2021, 513 clusters have been approved.
2. The scheme has directly benefited around 2.50 lakh artisans.
3. 77 clusters approved in the North Eastern Region.
4. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 96 clusters became functional in 2020-21.
5. 51 clusters became functional in 2023-24.
6. 374 clusters are functional till today.

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