Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: The Kerala government’s MSME project Samrambhaka Varsham (entrepreneurship year) project has helped set up 3,620 enterprises in the state’s Alappuzha district in four months (of FY23), The Hindu reported quoting district collector V.R. Krishna Teja as saying. The project created 7,418 jobs and attracted investments worth Rs 184.46 crores in the district during the period, Teja said.
The state government is looking to set up 9,666 MSMEs in Alappuzha as part of its overall target of establishing 1 lakh MSMEs in the state in the current fiscal under the project. According to officials, new units have been set up in the production, trade and service sectors in the Alappuzha district, the report said.
This included Chengannur taluk which has reached 40.51 per cent of the target, whereas Ambalappuzha has reached 39.30 per cent, Mavelikara 38.19 per cent, Karthikappally 37.58 per cent, Cherthala 36.21 per cent, and Kuttanad 33.33 per cent.
To further assist MSMEs, officials stated that help desks have been set up in local bodies to help entrepreneurs through the provision of subsidies and loans to set up their businesses. 86 interns under the Industries Department of Kerala will operate help desks.
In addition, an MSME clinic with professionals from various sectors was set up at District Industries Centre (DIC) to provide any required assistance to entrepreneurs. The clinic will provide entrepreneurs with expert opinions on banking, GST, law, licenses, marketing, technology, export and project preparation. Moreover, loans, licences and subsidy melas will be organised in the coming days to get more entrepreneurs to participate in the project.
Samrambhaka Varsham project was established under the aegis of the Industries Department with the backing of various departments and agencies including Kudumbashree (neighbourhood groups of women), planning, cooperation, labour, finance, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, local bodies and lead bank, the report noted.