SSI units welcome development board

The proposal of the Karnataka government to set up a Small Scale Industry Development Board has got the thumbs up from the small scale industrial units in the state.

"The umpteen problems faced by the sector need policy changes and for this a body like the board is absolutely necessary," said president, KASSIA, C.R. Janardhana.

KASSIA has suggested that the board be made a statutory body with a separate budgetary allocation to help it fulfil its objectives.

The concept paper, presented to Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) for its suggestions, outlines the constitution of board.

It will be led by the chief minister, who will be the chairman. The minister for SSIs will be the vice-chairman and there will be some more minister members. Some senior state government officials, heads of financial institutions like NABARD and KSFC, and representations from trade bodies like the KASSIA will also be members.

KASSIA expects the board to open an easier and faster channel of communication between the sector and government. "With policy makers themselves on the board, it will be easier for the small scale units to present their case to the government," says KASSIA.

"In order to promote policies and design programmes to revive the small scale sector, inter-departmental/agency discussions are needed. There is no single platform that enables such a discussion at the state level. At the central level the ministry for SSI has constituted an SSI board under the chairmanship of the Union minister for SSI which meets once in three months. There is need for such a platform," says the concept paper.