Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) K.H. Muniyappa on Saturday said the Union government was contemplating creating a separate Ministry to give a boost to the sector.
Interacting with members of the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) here, Mr. Muniyappa said small and medium industries had been contributing significantly to the national economy and hence the thought to create a separate ministry.
Mr. Muniyappa said the MSME sector had been contributing 45 per cent of the total industrial production in the country and 40 per cent of the exports. Still, this sector has been struggling for existence amid large industries, the Minister said.
The Union government was working on mitigating the disparity between large industries and MSME sector in providing basic infrastructure. A meeting of senior officials would be convened to discuss the issue, Mr. Muniyappa said. Union and State governments would make efforts to provide land required for the sector.
Tool rooms would be established in 15 states including Karnataka in a month to train skilled manpower. The tool room for Karnataka would come up near Devanahalli on a 10-acre land, he said.
Responding to the grouse of the industry that the Karnataka budget did not pay much attention to the MSME sector, Mr. Muniyappa said he would soon discuss it with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. K. Jayaprakash Hegde, MP, and KASSIA President B.P. Shashidhar, were present.
Revival plan
PTI reports:
The Centre’s plan to revive Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. by floating a global tender was a step in the right direction, Mr. Muniyappa said. He said he would meet the Union Minister for Mines to request him to expedite the process. The highest bidder would be given the chance to run the company.
It would allow the workers’ forum to come up with a bid to run the mine, Mr. Muniyappa said.
