By simplifying licence issuing procedure through single window clearance and other initiatives, an entrepreneur-friendly climate should be created for micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSME), said Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association president L. Murari here on Thursday .
He was speaking at an interactive session with K.K. Jalan, secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, in which entrepreneurs from southern districts participated. Mr. Murari said that in the absence of large industries in the southern region, MSMEs were at a disadvantage unlike their counterparts in Chennai and Tiruchi regions.
Small Industries Product Promotion Organisation chairman R. Rajagopal said that in the wake of cash crunch during post-demonetisation, small entrepreneurs found it difficult to pay workers on time. Also, entrepreneurs could not infuse capital, resulting in fall in productivity. But funds and sops in the form of subsidy from the governments went to the medium enterprises directly.
Former Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) president and industrialist A. Selvaraj said the southern districts remained industrially backward because of shortage of skilled manpower and outdated infrastructure at the production units.
Former MADITSSIA president T. Ravee said that the government’s grants and subsidies were not publicised to the desired level, resulting in entrepreneurs unaware of them. The subsidy component should also be increased, he said.
In his address, Mr. Jalan said trade bodies must play a major role of a catalyst in taking the initiatives of the governments to the entrepreneurs. Details of industry-friendly Central government schemes were available on the ministry’s website. The Centre was open to ideas and he assured the entrepreneurs that giving sops to medium enterprises would in no way affect tiny units.
E. Baskaran, Deputy Director of Industries and Commerce, explained the salient features of single point registration scheme. He voiced concern that not many entrepreneurs were aware of it and urged the trade bodies to disseminate the details.
