Jeypore: Koraput, a district with plenty of human and natural resources, lags behind in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector due to lack of skilled hands and proper opportunities, a report said.
Huge deposits of bauxite prompted Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to set up its aircraft engine manufacturing unit in the district while Nalco established a refinery at Damanjodi to utilise the minerals. Several small manufacturing units could have been set up around these two major plants. However, the administration has failed to tap these opportunities to boost the economy, according to experts.
There are plenty of possibilities for establishment of small units like lime, ferric alum, computer parts, and paint factories to meet the needs of Nalco refinery in Damanjodi. Similarly, factories of cutting tools, grinding wheels, packing box (for aircraft engine nozzle), cutting tools, blade polishing, rubber packing, light engineering works, quartz powder, silica gum and lubricant can be set up around MIG factory in Sunebeda.
Besides, the infrastructure available in the district is tailor-made for food processing units, wood-based industries, ayurvedic medicines manufacturing units and factories of items made from glass and leather, it was learnt. Lack of trained hands and tapping of potential is the problem, it
is learnt.
District Industries Centre demarcated 31.7 acres of land to set up an industrial estate in the district. While 20.27 acres have already been given away to interested entrepreneurs to set up their units, a patch of about 10 acres is still lying unutilised for years, reports said.
According to Orissa Industrial Policy-2015, the entrepreneurs don’t have to pay premium on loans and they also get a waiver of five per cent of their interest on loans for the first five years. Besides, 75 per cent waiver of VAT for five years and other subsidies are in place to encourage them. Similarly, Orissa Food Processing Policy 2013 provides 25 per cent subsidy on loans up to `2 crore. It has been increased to 30 per cent in case of women and SC/ST entrepreneurs.
On the other hand, provisions like waiver of stamp duties on purchase of land to set up small industries, waiver of premiums for conversion of agricultural lands into industrial land, waiver of electricity duties, subsidy of five per cent on loans, hassle-free certification of ISO and BIS are also available under Industrial Development Policy-2007 and MSME Policy-2009.
However, all these encouraging measures taken by the state government have so far failed to yield results. Moreover, the national-level industrialists have shown interest in tapping opportunities since the district is well-connected with rail, surface and air routes and having huge amount of mineral deposits.
So far, 4,425 small units have been set up at a total investment of nearly Rs16 crore while just over 27,000 youths have been absorbed by these enterprises, district industries sources said. PNN
