A growing need was being felt to facilitate and empower khadi spinners and weavers to chart out a sustainable path for growth, income generation and better work environment so that they are able to have a right working atmosphere and better ambiance to enable them to carry out their spinning and weaving work efficiently. Accordingly, the Government has approved a new Central Sector Plan Scheme called ‘Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans’ (WSKA) for implementation w.e.f. 27th May 2008 through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in an attempt to facilitate the development of khadi spinners and weavers essentially belonging to BPL category by providing them financial assistance for construction of worksheds, on a pilot basis. This scheme will be implemented during the XI Plan (2008-09 to 2011-12). More than 38,000 worksheds are proposed to be constructed at a total cost of Rs. 127 crore approximately, involving financial assistance of Rs. 95 crore as grants to KVIC from Government of India’s budgetary sources.

ASSISTANCE UNDER THE SCHEME
Financial Assistance for construction of worksheds will be provided to those khadi artisans who belong to BPL category through the khadi institutions with which these khadi artisans are associated and the quantum of assistance will be as under:

The additional requirements of funds over and above the financial assistance provided by the Government of India, to meet the cost of Workshed can be contributed by Khadi Institutions without insisting on any contribution from the beneficiaries. In case of individual Worksheds, the khadi institutions can also release the additional funds assessed for construction of workshed out of the accumulations in Artisans Welfare Fund lying to the credit of the beneficiary with State Level Artisan Welfare Fund Trust. The financial assistance to be provided by the Government, will go to the institutions (with which the beneficiaries of the scheme are affiliated) which will be responsible for the construction of worksheds (either directly or under their supervision) and Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) will supervise the activities.