Kolkata: Abhirup Sarkar, chairman of the West Bengal Small Industries Development Corporation (WBSIDCL), has urged the state’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to focus on improving productivity by adopting modern technology.
Speaking at a national seminar organised by the Federation of Associations of Small Industries of India (FASII) in association with the South Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry to mark International MSME Day, Sarkar assured that the state government would extend all possible support in this endeavour.
“I must candidly admit that low productivity is one of the key hurdles Bengal must overcome to ensure greater development in the MSME sector. Our labourers are comparatively less trained and less educated than those in most western and southern states. The asset per unit is also lower in Bengal than in many other states. To overcome this, we need to invest in technology, train our workforce and motivate them to deliver higher output,” Sarkar said.
Bengal is home to around 90 lakh MSMEs—the second highest in the country.
Sarkar also highlighted a contrast in industrialisation strategies between Bengal and Kerala, both of which initiated industrial growth efforts around the mid-1990s. He observed that while the erstwhile Left Front government in Bengal focused on promoting large-scale industries, its efforts stumbled over the challenge of land acquisition.
“The Left government believed that ancillary units would flourish around big industries. However, large industries required land acquisition, which proved to be a major stumbling block, leading to the failure of their industrial drive. In contrast, Kerala focused on developing small and medium enterprises and although the state lacks large industries, it is now in a relatively strong position,” he noted.
Sarkar concluded by praising the current Mamata Banerjee-led government for its emphasis on MSME development, saying that it is the right path to achieving meaningful industrialisation in Bengal.