Odisha to set up DIPAs to boost rural economy

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has decided to set up District level Industry and Investment Promotion Agencies (DIPAs) to create new employment opportunities and boost economic activities in rural areas.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting here Monday held in digital mode under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra.

State Principal Secretary Industry Hemant Kumar Sharma has outlined the proposal for extending IPICOL activities to the district level.

Assessing the proposal, Mahapatra directed, these agencies should be dedicated towards facilitation and hand holding of the micro, small and medium enterprises.

They should operate as single-point-contact for all entrepreneurs and investors, the Chief Secretary said adding it would facilitate them right from the time of project formulation and capacity building to financing, starting of production and market linkages.

He said it would also facilitate them for availing different assistance from the Government as per prevailing provisions.

The Chief Secretary directed the collectors to take a proactive role in promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises in their respective districts.

He said the MSMEs are movers of economic growth and their promotion in the district will result in equitable growth.

The Collectors were asked to provide decent office space in the collectorates for setting up the units.

It was decided that DIPAs would be managed by three professionals under the direct supervision of the respective collectors.

The DIPAs would be set up in different districts in a phased manner with feedback and learnings about the functioning and outcome of the agencies from each preceding phase.

It was decided to pilot the intervention in three districts namely Ganjam, Sundargarh and Jagatsinghpur. The first phase piloting could be started by August which would be extended to the districts like Angul, Balasore, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Sambalpur and other districts on the basis of the outcome from the pilot phase.

A Target was set to cover all districts by March, 2022, official sources said.

UNI