District Collector S. Suresh Kumar has called for convergence of entrepreneurs, technocrats, and scientists to realise the full potential of industrial growth in the district.
Speaking at a session on ‘Industrial Growth Prospects in Guntur District’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII, Vijayawada Zone) on the premises of the Guntur Club on Friday, Mr. Suresh Kumar said the district had immense potential in the areas of agriculture, food processing, marine processing, and handloom.
“There has been also an immense potential in the supply chain management area, which is yet to be tapped,” Mr. Suresh Kumar observed.
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The Collector said, “It is difficult to get first generation entrepreneurs to set up industries in spite of necessary technical and financial support. The district has 400 branches of nationalised and private banks and is home to research stations in the fields of paddy, maize, sugarcane and chilli.” The Collector sounded upbeat on the prospects of industrial growth and assured of his support to any initiatives taken up by the CII. Assistant General Manager of National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Nabard), Guntur, Bhavani Sankar, said Nabard had many schemes through which it can refinance industries.
A new initiative of direct financing, through which Nabard could finance warehouses with a seed money of Rs.5,000, will be unveiled next month. Under Technology Transfer Scheme, Nabard has been supporting farm innovations such as ‘Broom Sprayer’, with which farmers could spray fertilizers. Nabard has also taken up accreditation of cold storages under the Ware House Regulatory Framework through which it certifies cold storages.
Chairman of CII, Vijayawada Zone, M. Lakshmi Prasad, said CII was planning to hold a roadshow in December here to further create interest among entrepreneurs in this region.
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