Itanagar: 38th National SC/ ST Hub Conclave held
38th National SC/ ST Hub (NSSH) Conclave held for awareness and promotion of ST entrepreneurs.
Itanagar
The National SC/ ST Hub (NSSH) Conclave was held under the initiative of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) and the National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC)at the state legislative assembly here on Monday, wherein officials provided information on various opportunities of the government available for SC and ST entrepreneurs.
National Small Scale Industries Director (Marketing & Planning) P Uday Kumar reiterated the objective of conducting the conclave and encouraged entrepreneurs, especially aspiring and upcoming ones, to avail the government schemes. He also informed that about seven cost-saving schemes have been introduced for SC/ST entrepreneurs, and the ministry provides about 30-40 percent cost of the production, manufacturing and some services activities, for free.
He also informed that “the government provides training to all SC/ST entrepreneurs at any institute of choice in the country, the cost of which will be reimbursed upto 1 lakh.”
Food Processing Ministry Joint Secretary Ashok Kumar said the food processing industry was a sunrise industry and appealed to SC/ ST entrepreneurs to come out and take the benefits of the schemes.
“There is tremendous potential in food processing. A rough estimate shows that it will be an over 900 billion dollar market by 2020,” he said.
While IPR Minister Bamang Felix noted the importance of the conclave, he informed the Food Processing Ministry joint secretary that the state government faces difficulties in implementing flagship programmes of the central government at remote areas of the state.
He pointed out the lack of viable market for the produces and suggested the central government officials to incorporate buy-back policy of farmers and push it to the markets in their policies.
He was hopeful that the state department of Industries will carry forward the mission to the nooks and corners of the state and assured of the state government’s support in helping people of the state avail these schemes.
PWD Commissioner Bilatee Pertin, Industries Commissioner GS Meena presented several challenges and opportunities and hurdles in marketing and production and selling of the product in the market.
Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker TN Thongdok, NSIC (NE) Zonal General Manager Dr Avinash Choudhary, National Working President for Forum of SC ST Legislatures and Parliamentarians Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal and state’s Industries Director Habung Donyi and NSSHO Guwahati Branch Manager Peter Thawngneihchina also pointed out the existing lacunae, while also deliberating on the way forward.
Presentations were also made by various government departments such as KVIB, MSME-DI, Industries, Textiles & Handicrafts; public sector units of the PGCI, FCI, Oil India, etc and financial institutions, such as the NABARD, SBI, SIDBI and NEDFI.
