Mumbai: The commerce ministry has set up a Rs3,750-crore fund for providing employment assistance to rural areas in 250 backward and poor districts in the country. The fund will be used for granting annual assistance of Rs12 to Rs13 crore beginning the current fiscal year, minister of state for commerce and industry Jairam Ramesh said.

Speaking at the inaugural function of a national convention on women in trade, the minister said the selected districts, mostly under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, would get the assistance in addition to the amount provided under NREGS.

Apart from providing assistance to 23 export promotion councils, the funds will be used to extend financial support to export units which generate employment opportunities, the minister said, adding the emphasis would be on generating employment while ensuring growth of the export sector.

"We are also in touch with the urban development and rural development ministries on how to integrate various employment generating schemes so as to maximise the outcome," he also said.

The minister said the India Brand Equity Fund has been asked to initiate steps in marketing carpet industry of Uttar Pradesh, tribal arts of Orissa, embroidery and knitted goods of Andhra Pradesh and handicraft sector in foreign markets. He added that nearly 107 lakh people were working directly or indirectly in the export sector and this is expected to reach 307 lakh in another five years.