IMPHAL, April 9: The Centre has allocated Rs 500 crore for setting up of a National Hub for Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribes and Women Entrepreneurs under the “Stand up India scheme, said Union Minister for MSME Kalraj Mishra while addressing the valedictory function of the two-day NE ASEAN Business Summit yesterday at the City Convention, Palace Gate.
The valedictory function was also attended by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Kalraj said furthermore, in order to accelerate the growth of MSME under “Make in India” in the country including in the North Eastern States, the Ministry has introduced flagship schemes such A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE), Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and Scheme for Funds for Regeneration of Traditional Industry (SFURTI).
In order to create employment and entrepreneurship in the Northeast region of the country, NSIC Guwahati has conducted training programmes for more than 1262 trainees during February this year, he said.
For promoting marketing of MSME products, NSIC Guwahati has sent 35 to 50 entrepreneurs every year from Northeast region to participate in the TECHMART at Delhi, he added.
With the objective to enhance the acceptability of the unit in the market and to access quicker and cheaper credit, MSME ministry has been implementing “Performance and Credit Rating Scheme (PCRS)” for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), the Union Minister said and added “During 2015-16, 313 units availed benefits for PCRS in Northeast region.”
The Kalraj further said that various schemes and programs have been implemented in Manipur to enable unemployed youth to generate self-employment. MSME and Project ASPIRE, PMEGP, SFURTI are few of them which have helped uncountable youth income-generation, he added.
Governor V Masugananthan had said that the NE region has lots of potential in terms of natural resources. The only problem is providing opportunities to explore these potentials.
“We have to provide opportunities. No doubt they are suffering because of unemployment problem” said the Governor.
“There is no employment opportunity. They have studied ITI, IIT, polytechnic engineering, Nurses etc,” but they have no chance of getting jobs in their own state, he said about the unemployment problem in the State.
So, this business summit will come up with a recommendation that will create employment opportunities to the unemployed educated youth of the State, he added.