June 23, 2014
Bengal makes giant strides in MSME sector
When the Trinamool Congress formed thegovernment in 2011, it promised to set up 17 clusters of micro, small andmedium industries (MSME) in the state. In only three years, it has surpassedits target forming 152 new MSME clusters in the state. Chief minister Ms. MamataBanerjee announced this on a Facebook post on Sunday.
The chief minister posted: “At the time ofWest Bengal assembly election, 2011, our party manifesto committed to launchmassive cluster development drive across the state to give our micro, small andmedium industries sector a new trajectory of growth and efficiency and generatehuge employment. We had targeted to set up 17 clusters. I am indeed happy toshare with you that we have set up 152 new clusters in three years of ourgovernment in the MSME, handloom and khadi sector.”
She further posted that these clusters aregoing to generate more than four lakh employment in the state. “As a matter offact, over the three years of our government, more than 35,000 new units in MSEsector have been set up in the state with employment of nearly 3.20 lakh,” theCM posted.
Prodded by the CM, the department of microand small scale enterprises and textiles (M&SSET) had earlier launched its Shilpa Abhijan initiative in thedistricts so that entrepreneurs can start business on their own and developclusters of micro and small-scale industries.
The centre for entrepreneurship andinnovation (CEI) – a centre of excellence established by the Indian Instituteof Management, Kolkata – has been working intensively in giving training toMSME officials to become more oriented on how this sector could be furtherdeveloped.
In the Synergy MSME Conclave that wasorganized last year, the CM had handed over incentive cheques to two MSMEunits. The government had announced a host of incentives in the MSME Policy forthe financial year of 2013-14, including capital investment and interestsubsidy on term loans, electricity duty waiver, reimbursement of entry tax,refund of central sales tax and stamp duty waiver.
The MSME department would hold more regionallevel synergy MSME conclaves across the state. The last regional level synergywas held at Siliguri in February this year. The next synergy will be held atHowrah from July 31 to August 2, where MSME entrepreneurs from parts ofHooghly, Midnapore and Burdwan will also be covered.
Also last year, the CM had announced theplan to come up with the Biswa BanglaBrand, in which a holding company will be formed based on the public privatepartnership model to bring in all MSME companies under one umbrella with an aimto help in marketing all MSME products together under one brand and develop thestate`s handloom and handicrafts. Already, a few outlets have been set up topromote the Biswa Bangla Brand withits handicrafts, handlooms and other products.
