Unveiling the new “Cottage and Rural Industries Policy 2024,” Gujarat government on Wednesday said the policy will help create 12 lakh jobs in the next five years.

The State government in the “mission” statement of the policy said that a total of 8.75 lakh jobs were created in the cottage and rural industries sector in Gujarat during the last five years. The policy was formally unveiled by Minister for Cottage Industries Balvantsinh Rajput and Minister of State for Cottage Industries Jagdish Panchal at Gandhinagar.

The government said that the cumulative production of various Boards and government institutions functioning in this sector will rise to ₹1500 crore from the present ₹460 crore. The government said it will increase the number of beneficiaries availing loan under various schemes from 35000 to the 50000 in the next five years.

Under the new policy, the quantum of loans given under the Vajpayee Bankable Yojana 2.0 to artisans and craftsmen has been raised to ₹25 lakh from the earlier ₹8 lakh. Similarly, the quantum of loans given under Dattopant Thengadi Artisan Interest Subsidy Scheme, the maximum loan amount has been raised to ₹3 lakh from the earlier ₹1 lakh.

The policy also aims to provide skill development training to over 60000 new entrepreneurs in the next five years.