Govt zeroes in on 8 hubs to boost infra for SMEs
The government is planning a major push for SMEs aimed at increasing their competitiveness with better infrastructure amid rising concerns over dipping industrial output and falling exports.
The government is planning a major push for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) aimed at increasing their competitiveness with better infrastructure amid rising concerns over dipping industrial output and falling exports.
The government has recast the existing Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS) involving public-private parternships and has identified eight clusters covering a range of sectors including auto components, chemicals, leather and foundry that have borne the brunt of the economic slowdown. They will be serviced by a comprehensive Integrated Cluster Development Programme (ICDP).
The programme will be implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) with financial support from the government.
“The ICDP is designed to provide integrated turnkey solutions to the constraints affecting each of the pre-selected SME sectors — constraints relating to technology, quality and environment,” Head of UNIDO’s South Asia office, Philippe Scholtes, said.
“Specialised services such as cleaner production, lean manufacturing and energy efficiency, will be crafted to provide a customised answer to the specific requirements of each cluster,” Scholtes said.
The government has so far granted over Rs 1,100 crore for industrial infrastructure projects in 31 SMEs clusters during the last five years.
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