Bengal policy on handlooms soon

West Bengal state government will soon notify a policy on functioning of the handloom cooperatives in the state, Bansagopal Chowdhury, West Bengal's minister for cottage and small scale industry(SSI), department of technical education and training, said here today.

"The state handloom cooperatives are sick and hampering the interest of handloom weavers and artisans," said Chowdhury at a session on 'Initiative of government in strengthening SMEs' organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI).

The policy will be ready in a few months but the cooperatives are likely to be linked to private marketing companies to boost sales.

Chowdhury said the state is setting up with a hosiery park in Kossipore, Kolkata.

"The state has asked the hosiery association and other private organisations to participate in the hosiery park," added Chowdhury.

The financial crunch was hampering industrial estate development. He criticised the complex procedures governing loans to SSIs from banks.

The state government will meet the commercial banks in April to settle these issues.

To strengthen the SSI sector in the state, BNCCI has set up a sub-contracting exchange to provide information relating to tenders from different sources.

This initiative is based on direction from the department of SSI, government of India, said S Nundy, president of BNCCI.

"SSI units are weak in marketing and BNCCI is keen to strengthen marketing through its company profile and district-wise SSI directory," he added.