Kolkata: With a vision to make Bengal number one in the world in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday directed all the concerned officials to carry out necessary "field work" to explore the untapped areas.
In the same breath, she also instructed the officials to identify the problems that need to be ironed out immediately to help MSME entrepreneurs flourish and make their presence felt in the global market. The Mamata Banerjee government targets to be the best in the sector globally after achieving the number one position among all states in the country.
Banerjee, who was speaking at the inaugural session of the State MSME Conclave at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre at Rajarhat, said: "Prospective areas have to be nurtured with a big vision. It is important to go to the field to identify the opportunities that can be explored for further development of the MSME sector. At the same time, the existing problems that entrepreneurs are facing have to be identified during the field work and the same have to be sorted out without delay."
She further added: "There has to be a proper planning for the marketing of the product both in the country and abroad as well. A permanent mechanism has to be in place for a steady export of the produce of the MSME industry. There should be a growth in the export and we also have to manufacture goods to export it to UK, China, Australia, Japan, etc." The Chief Minister added that her government would examine the possibility of extending financial assistance to the MSMEs through State Cooperative Banks (SCB).
Stating that the MSME sector has already created a large number of job opportunities and it has a huge scope in the "rural market", the Chief Minister directed all the District Information and Cultural Officers (DICOs) to always be in touch with the entrepreneurs in their respective areas so that the latter can easily discuss their problems. "DICOs should also take prompt action to solve the same," she said after directing Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Additional Chief Secretary of the MSME and Textiles department, to visit the districts every three months and hold meetings with the district entrepreneurs.
"One such meeting can be held with entrepreneurs and concerned officials from three to four districts. Two meetings will cover the entire North Bengal and there could be another three to four meetings for South Bengal including one for Jangalmahal districts at regular intervals," she said.
Mentioning about the worse effect of demonetisation and the hasty introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Banerjee said: "Let us take all the necessary measures to ensure further development in the sector and we will meet here again after one year to say that we have become cent percent successful."
The Chief Minister also announced a reduction of around 67 percent in the fees to get fire license. It may be mentioned that this is the first business conclave in which she has directly interacted with the MSME entrepreneurs from districts and heard their problems and issues.
Next year at the Bengal Global Business Summit, an entire day of the event will be dedicated for the MSME sector.