To give a fillip to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and encourage entrepreneurs, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday unveiled a series of package, including creation 2,000-acre land bank, a scheme to confer land ownership on industries after 30 years of lease, and a single window clearance committee headed by the Chief Secretary to facilitate no-objection certificates to entrepreneurs.
Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, she said that the grant to MSME earlier was 15 per cent of the cost of machinery and other instruments. The amount had been increased to 25 per cent and upper limit would be Rs. 30 lakh.
The Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO) would create a land bank of 2000 acres for creation of new industrial estates.
Moreover, MSMEs would get 20 per cent of the area of the industrial estates created for mega industries by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT). The area would be allotted to them as a single to the SIDCO for the benefit of MSMEs. Unlike in the past when allocation of over 5000 sq ft required government sanction, SIDCO would be conferred with powers to decide up to 50 cents.
Ms. Jayalalithaa said since industrial units among urban human habitations were causing pollution and lack of space had made their expansion impossible, the government would offer all necessary assistance and other facilities to entrepreneurs prepared to shift their units outside towns. The government would provide 75 per cent grant and a maximum of Rs. 15 crore to get electricity and water connections and constructions of conference halls and selling units. Similarly, entrepreneurs coming forward to set up new units would get up to Rs. 10 crore as grant. The Chief Minister said multi-storeyed industrial complexes would be set up since the land cost around Chennai had gone up manifold and there were no adequate space for expanding the existing industrial units. In the first phase, a complex will come up in Tirumazhisai near Chennai at a cost of Rs. 20 crore and entrepreneurs will get space on long time lease.
The government also decided to entrepreneur development and skill development training through Entrepreneurship Development Institute to achieve the goal of Vision 2023. Special training programmes would be organised for the benefit of women entrepreneurs and the government would release Rs. 5 crore for these programmes.
In order to promote joint venture, the SIDCO would invest 10 per cent of the capital if private industries and industrial bodies came forward to set up industrial estates.
