State aims to set up 20 industrial clusters this year

This financial year, Tamil Nadu?s landscape will dot 20 more industrial clusters dedicated to micro, small and medium ventures. Coupled with a new scheme to give a helping hand to first generation entrepreneurs through training and financial aid, the state government is poised to give the small industry a definite push.

As part of the strategy to enhance productivity, competitiveness and capacity building in the micro, small and medium enterprises sector, the Tamil Nadu government would take up 20 industrial clusters for implementation in 2012-2013. This will be the highest number to be taken up for execution in a year. Between 2006-07 and 2011-12, the state has implemented 15 industrial clusters for MSMEs.

With the 20 projects to be completed in 2012-13 and another 65 projects in the pipeline, which will implemented during 2014-16, the state will have 100 new clusters up and running between 2006 and 2016.

The state already has MSME clusters for sago & starch, safety matches, wet grinder, brick , ceramic, engineering, printing, auto components, refractory stainless steel vessels, plastic, pharma Indian system of medicine, lorry body building, coir, gold jewellery, electronic products, power loom, cement pipes, corrugated boxes and garments, among others.

There are 7.60 lakh registered MSMEs in the state, providing employment to 52.99 lakh persons, with a total investment of more than R39,438 crore as on March 31, 2012. As per the 4th All-India Census for MSMEs, Tamil Nadu has the largest number of MSMEs in the country (15.07%). It has the second largest number of medium enterprises (12.51%) and third largest number of small enterprises (9.97%) in the country. By the census (which completed in 2009), Tamil Nadu has 350 clusters, which rank it third in India after Gujarat (369) and Uttar Pradesh (359).

The state is focusing on the district industries centres to drive MSME promotion. All the 32 DICs in the state would be revamped and chief minister J Jayalalithaa has set aside R50 crore towards their reconstruction, renovation and modernisation.

The chief minister had also provided R100 crore as capital subsidy for the ?new entrepreneur-cum-enterprise development scheme? (NEEDS), starting this year, for nurturing first-generation entrepreneurs. The aim is to train around 1,000 entrepreneurs each year, out of which at least 500 would be women.