“Gujarat has an industry-friendly environment that has helped the State emerge as an industrially-developed region. We (the Government) provide water, land, power, and peace which are the key elements that any industry requires,” according to Tarachand J. Chheda, Minister for Cottage, Salt Industries and Cow Breeding of Gujarat.
Mr. Chheda told this to newsmen here on Friday after inaugurating ‘Gujarat Expo’, an expo-cum-sale of Gujarati handicrafts and cottage industry products organised here with the support of the Gujarat Government.
The Minister said that the State had taken various steps to uplift cottage industries.
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The Minister noted that one such effort by their Government was introduction of a bank guarantee scheme for cottage industries for which Rs. 300 crore was earmarked for the first time for this financial year.
“According to the scheme, the Government is giving bank guarantee for up to Rs. one lakh for persons to get loan for establishing a cottage industry,” he added.
The scheme was expected to benefit 50,000 to 55,000 entrepreneurs this year. This was in addition to free kits worth Rs. 5,000 provided to skilled labourers under 84 categories of skills, such as handicrafts. “These efforts are to empower skilled persons and help them earn their living and also to develop the art and culture of our State,” he said.
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The Government of Gujarat had been organising over 300 taluk-level exhibitions annually for the last three years to promote sale of handicrafts and products from cottage industries. About the exhibition in Coimbatore, he said that their Government sponsored the complete transportation charges to help participants bring their products to the venue.
Artisans have put up 60 stalls displaying handloom, handicraft, jewellery, textile and other products from cottage industries from various parts of Gujarat. Handmade files made from fabric, colourful fibre toys, and handicraft umbrellas are some of the items that attracted visitors. The exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on all days till September 11 at Shree Gujarati Samaj.