An engineering cluster for micro units would soon be promoted in the city under the auspices of the Tiruchi District Tiny and Small Scale Industries’ Association (TIDITSSIA).
The cluster, to be promoted under the Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme of the Union Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, will have a common facility centre with necessary machines for the units and allied infrastructure. The cluster will comprise micro engineering units.
The Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO) is the nodal agency for implementing the project.
The Centre would extend a grant of up to 90 per cent of the cost for setting up the common facility centre. The cluster will have at least 20 members and it will be promoted through a special purpose vehicle formed for the purpose, T.Raju Rebero, president, TIDITSSIA, told The Hindu here on Wednesday.
Mr.Rebero said the State government had planned to promote industrial clusters in 20 districts in Tamil Nadu and Tiruchi has been identified for promoting a micro engineering cluster.
The TIDITSSIA had in the process of identifying the site for establishing the cluster in the Ariyamangalam area in the city.
Later, speaking at a workshop for prospective members of the cluster organised by TIDITSSIA in association with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Chennai, here, Mr.Rebero said the cluster would present a good opportunity for small entrepreneurs especially in the wake of the recent slowdown in the industry.
A.Raja Rajan, General Manager, District Industries Centre, said the common facility centre will be of great help to micro units as most of them cannot afford the high cost of finance for establishing necessary infrastructure.
P.Veerabhadran, Branch Manager, Small Industries Development Corporation, pointed out micro and small industries no longer enjoy any protection and have to compete with multi-national companies.
The cluster approach would help them equip themselves to meet the competition and also meet quality standards.
Tamil Nadu is one of the very few States which have successfully adopted the cluster approach; he said and suggested the cluster could be established at the SIDCO’s raw material godown lying in disuse near Ariyamangalam. The TIDITSSIA could approach the SIDCO for getting the building, he said.
