Har-Har Mahadev !!

Weaver and artisan brothers and sisters who have arrived here in large number!!

This is my third programme in Kashi today. First, I was at the Kumbh of spirituality. Then I went to Kumbh of modernity where I inaugurated and laid foundation stones to several projects worth hundreds of crores rupees. And, now, I am, in a way, at the Kumbh of self-employment.

It is my good fortune to meet different artisans and artistes under one roof. From those joining each thread to those making the best pieces from clay particles and contributing their might to the world’s best companies, everybody is sitting under the same roof. It’s a moment of rejoice, creates a new confidence and fuels encouragement. Truly, Kashi is one but it has different forms.

I appreciate Yogiji and his entire team for organizing this meet. The entire country will benefit due to this attempt to take the products of Uttar Pradesh to the markets of India and the world and to make them available online. The facilities that are being offered to weavers and craftsmen to improve their living by providing them with machines and bank loans are very commendable. I congratulate and extend my best wishes to the friends who have received these facilities today. 

Friends, India has always had this strength that each region and district is distinct with its special art and a special product. India has had this tradition for centuries and our businessmen and traders have propagated this tradition across the world. India has huge reserves – be it different kinds of spices, different types of silk – whether it is cotton or Pashmina – and minerals. Our each district has a product and it has its own specialty and its own story. Excellent artistic products are being made in our tribal areas as well. Similarly, there are several traditional handicraft products and industries which are moving forward generation after generation. This is the biggest inspiration behind ideas like Make in India and One District One Product. This is the strength of India in realizing the 5 trillion dollars economy target.

Friends, there has never been shortage of resources and talent in our country, the need is to work with a broad thinking. The need is to take this story to the world. Uttar Pradesh Institute of Design will play an important role in it. I have been told that more than 3,500 artisans and weavers across 30 districts have been helped in designs by the UPID in the last two years. Around 1,000 artistes have been offered tool kits to improve their craft-related products.  UPID has greatly helped thousands of artists in increasing and modernizing their businesses through buyers-sellers meet, artisans-weavers conclave, tool kits and several workshops. UPID is becoming a very big platform for the artists of UP in as far as the global craft and craftsmanship is concerned.

Friends, I have visited a wonderful exhibition associated with the One District One Product before I came here and I request you to visit it.  There has been a splendid collection of products from different parts of UP. Modern machines have been given to workers making disposable plates and their self-confidence was seen to be believed.

Friends, India has resolved to free the country of the single use plastic by 2022.  At a time, when the entire world is making efforts to find an alternative to plastic, we can share our environment-friendly solutions with India and the world. 

Friends, the need is to integrate our historical tradition with the demands of the 21^st century. We need to refine and bring about timely changes to make quality products. This is possible only when we provide institutional support to the traditional industries. The products need to be improved according to the changing world and demand. This is very imperative that training, financial help, new techniques and marketing facilities are provided to friends associated with these traditional industries.

For the last five-and-a-half years, we are making concerted efforts. The solar charkha (spinning wheel), solar loom, solar light, electric chaak, etc are a few such examples. This handicraft complex, where we all are sitting, is also the outcome of the government’s thinking and approach. You tell me. Could Banaras or UP’s common weaver or exporter discuss with investors online before 2014? Could he have ever imagined? This was not possible because there was no such platform. We can’t say whether the previous governments did not have either money or understanding. Approach was the problem. The country has moved beyond that old approach. We are moving ahead with a purpose to make each person and region strong and self-reliant. This is the reason why such international-level centres have been set up not only in Varanasi but at several places in the country where common artisans and traders could display their products. 

I will congratulate Yogiji and his team for giving a tempo to the Central government’s comprehensive vision of One District One Product. It is the outcome of these efforts that there has been constant increase in exports from UP in the last two years. This growth has become possible with schemes like One District One Product and the facilities being given to MSMEs. The e-Commerce portal which has been launched now will be of great help in the coming days.

Friends, this year’s budget has specified the government’s priorities. A blueprint has been prepared for the development of small and marginal industries not only for this year, but for the next five years. The main focus of this budget is on areas like manufacturing and ease of doing business. Special focus has been given on MSMEs and Start Ups. These Make in India focus areas have been the main source of creating large-scale employment.

Friends, textile and garment industries have been the big source of creating employment in Uttar Pradesh and in India. This entire region has been an important centre of weavers, artists associated with carpet industry and workers. Lakhs of families are dependent on garment and carpet industries. This year’s budget has attempted to give a new dimension to the textile industry. There has been a corresponding increase in the demand of textile and technical textile in particular due to comprehensive growth in health infrastructure, automobile sector, tourism, defence and agriculture sector.

You can imagine that India imports technical textile worth crores of rupees every year. Our import of technical textile is much more than our carpet exports. In order to change this state of affairs, the anti-dumping duty on raw material, which is polymer fiber, has been abolished in this budget. The government has fulfilled the decades-old demand of the people associated with the textile industry this year. Over and above, the National Technical Textiles Mission has also been started and 1500 crore rupees have been earmarked for it in the next four years. All the amenities, infrastructure and skills associated with the technical textile will be created in the country.

Friends, about 3,700 crore rupees have been provisioned in this year’s budget for the defence corridor being constructed in UP. Recently, several global defence companies in Lucknow have evinced interest in setting up industries here. Several companies have already signed agreements. The defence corridor will not only benefit the small and medium scale industries but will also open doors for new small industries. There will also be thousands of new job opportunities due to this defence corridor. 

Friends, the New India acknowledges, trusts and respects wealth creators. Efforts are being made to help common man and businessman get rid of various papers and documents. Work is in progress to ensure that government procedures are simple and way forward rather than cumbersome. Most of my friends associated with MSME industries had the major complaint of audit. You had to be stuck in the papers for businesses generating one crore rupee turnover. You had to hire a chartered accountant, take audit certificate and spend unnecessary money and time on such things. You have been freed of all these things in this year’s budget. Now, audit is required for only those industries whose turnover is over five crore rupees.

Friends, small businessmen had to face the problem of cash flow due to different departments in the government and undue long procedures. Now the law has been amended. From now onwards, NBFCs will be able to sanction loans on the basis of bills and invoice of your goods. There is also a plan to launch mobile app based Invoice Financing Loans Product to ensure easy facilitation of loans. Soon you will be able to take loan through your mobile phone. Announcement has also been made to launch a new plan for working capital of MSMEs.

Friends, several decisions related to government purchases and logistics have been taken which will directly help the small and medium scale industries. Small businessmen have benefited a lot in selling their products to the government through GeM, the Government E-market place. Now, there is transparency in government purchases. In order to simplify this system, the Unified Procurement System has been announced. With this, the government will be able to procure goods, services and works of small businessmen through one platform.

Friends, a digital facility is being prepared for refunds to exporters. This will ensure easy and fast refunds to exporters. Friends, there is also a very big reform in the offing which will be of great help to all the stakeholders sitting here in this hall.  There has been a massive makeover in logistics due to implementation of GST. Now, this is being strengthened further. National Logistics Policy is being framed in the country for the first time. This will lead to the creation of single window e-logistics market. It will make small industries more competitive and help in job creation. In order to strengthen MSMEs, the imports of such products are being restricted the better qualities of which are being made in India.

Friends, all of you and others in the country are going to benefit substantially through reforms in tax system, whether it is income tax, or corporate tax, or GST. A Taxpayers Charter is being prepared for the first time so that the country’s wealth creators do not have unnecessary problems. Not many countries in the world have this kind of idea to frame the rights of the tax payer. It will empower any tax payer to face anybody who comes to interrogate him. It is a kind of a very big assurance to tax payer. Tax collection is being made faceless. In order to encourage manufacturing, tax has been limited to 15 percent. Today, India is one of the very few countries where corporate tax rates are so low. There is also a plan to create Investment Clearance Cell to help investors. This will be online portal. It will facilitate necessary clearances at state and central levels and easy access to important information

Friends, all these steps are in the interests of each Indian, each stakeholder, each investor and each businessman. All the necessary steps which will help the country realize the target of 5 trillion dollar economy will be taken. More such decisions will be taken in the interests of our weavers, artisans and workers associated with small industries. We will leave no stone unturned, be it the Central Government or the Uttar Pradesh government. We all will work together to make India a manufacturing hub and export products across the world.

I, once again, greet you and offer my best wishes for this grand function, for a focused initiative, to create a global identity. Mahashivratri, the most revered festival of Banaras is upcoming in next few days. I also extend my best wishes and congratulations to all of you for Mahashivratri.

Thanks!!!

*****

VRRK/KP