Govt to ink agreement with STEP to boost MSME sector

Kolkata: In a significant stride towards providing hassle-free solutions to problems faced by medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) in the state, the Mamata Banerjee government will soon sign an agreement with Science and Technology Entrepreneur's Park (STEP) at IIT Kharagpur.

The MSMEs will have the platform of putting up problems related to technology and STEP will be ready with solutions.

"The MSMEs in the state should develop their human resources and also go for technical up-gradation to ensure that their products get better acceptance in the market and their earnings go up. STEP at IIT Kharagpur has a state of the art laboratory and it will be helping them out with technology solutions," said Rajesh Pandey, Principal Secretary of State MSME department on the sidelines of the 4th Manufacturing & MSME Conclave and MSME Award organised by Bengal Chamber.

The entrepreneurs will put up their problems in the state government portal and STEP will come up with solutions.

The department is in talks with IIT Kharagpur and is hopeful that things will be finalised in one or two months.

A senior official of the department said that the department is holding talks with Spencer's to offer a better marketing platform for some quality products that are being produced in different parts of North Bengal. These products include Tulsi juice, honey, cardamom, mushroom, broomsticks to name a few.

"We want Spencer's to purchase the products directly from the producers and sell them at their stores," the official said.

Talks are also on with e-commerce platforms so that these products can be sold through these platforms too. Textile products under the brand like Manjusha, Tantuja are already being sold in e-commerce platforms and the demand is reasonably good.

The department has already identified the problem areas associated with MSME through their general managers in all the districts. The problems lie in the product itself, in equipment, in packaging and some other areas.

"We believe that products like Purulia mask, Sitalpati of Cooch Behar, the mats of Sabang, and the different handicrafts at Junglemahal will have a much greater export potential with technological intervention and better packaging," the official added.