Guwahati: The Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena today said it has created a unique business model to empower women Agarbatti artisans and strengthen the local Agarbatti industry.

Speaking at a developmental programme for its beneficiaries at Guwahati recently, he said lakhs of people are getting employment through agarbatti industries.

He also highlighted the Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana (KSY), an initiative of KVIC for the empowerment of communities working in the pottery sector.

During this programme machinery and equipment were distributed to 40 beneficiaries of Agro-based and Food Processing Industries trained by KVIC.

On this occasion, Agarbatti-making machinery was also distributed to 50 beneficiaries.

He said the Khadi & Village Industries Commission has been consistently making its effort to promote Khadi and rural industries in the North Eastern Region as part of the Government of India’s development initiatives.

He further added that KVIC's main focus has always been to create sustainable employment for artisans and unemployed youth and this Commission will work more to provide more opportunities to the people of Assam and Northeast to get employment.

Talking about the growth of the Agarbatti industry in the country Saxena said that Government has taken a unique initiative to make India Aatmanirbhar in Agarbatti production while creating sustainable employment for women entrepreneurs with very less investment.