A senior officer in Rewa District Industry Centre said: "SMEs in Chorhata (Udyog Vihar) either process oil, pulses, wood or are into steel-fabrication. These are cyclical or seasonal industries." He added: "We do not have a plan to advise entrepreneurs for growth-oriented manufacturing activity. We used to recommend loans under Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Yojana (PMRY). The scheme has been closed in MP now." |
Rewa's location, between the Kaimur and the portion of the Vindhya Range called Binjh, offers the district opportunities in food processing. No effort, however, has been made by the state government to tap this potential.
In fact, the state government had almost decided to wind up its Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (AKVN) office, for it had no job for industries.
"The state industrial policy is for large industries. There is little support from the government for industries in Rewa. We have no power to diagnose problems of sick units and suggest remedies. Tax incentives are also restricted to big industries. How can SMEs survive in this competitive age?" asks another official in AKVN Rewa.
The state government organised a number of investors' meet in the last four years. Rewa was ignored despite its proximity to nearby industrial towns like Singrouli, expected to be India's thermal power hub.
Also Read
Ranbir Singh, president, Udyog Vihar Industries Association, said: "There were around 90 units in Chorhata Industrial growth centre, now their number is around 50. Some local businessmen have taken over a few sick units, but how long will they survive in absence of a market?"
He added big industries did not offer opportunities for ancillary units and large units should be given incentives only if they were ready to offer jobs to local SMEs.