Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is statutory body established under an Act of Parliament in 1956. It functions under Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India. The KVIC with the objectives of providing rural employment by implementing various schemes. The spectrum of schemes are Khadi, Khadi Reforms and Development Programme (KRDP), Village Industries, Prime Minister Employment Programme (PMEGP), Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Clusters (SFURTI). The funding is provided from various sources, including subsidised bankable projects.

One of the major scheme is SFURTI. As the name suggests the SFURTI Scheme is a cluster development scheme for setting up of traditional industry clusters under Khadi & Village Industries activities such as Khadi cotton, wool, silk; Beekeeping, Bamboo, Pottery, Leather, Traditional Art and craft, besides processing of agricultural produce-organic food processing - seed processing and preserving - organic manure and pesticide production animal food processing and preserving dairy products processing, etc. The scheme financial outlay ranging from Rs. 2.50 to 5.00 cores - a grant-in-aid 100% on soft component and 90% on hard intervention. An 8% of services charges on hard interventions to Technical Agency. (Details scheme guidelines are enclosed for ready reference). A

The role of Technical Agency (TA)entails creating sensitisation- promoting awareness preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR)- advising Implementing Agency (IA) in establishing, structuring, Project Specific Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) assisting National Nodal Agency and Scheme Steering Committee (SSC) in examining the proposals-guiding IA and Cluster Development Executives (CDE), etc.

The TA is also expected to put in place a suitable business plan - Developing designs business services marketing strategy inter-alia enhancing the skills of artisans, social welfare measures, and overall economic living of artisans.