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The Punjab government’s Budget for 2015-16 has raised funding for micro and small enterprises, and skill development.
Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa announced an interest subvention scheme with an allocation of Rs 100 crore for micro and small enterprises. And, Rs 200 crore has been allotted for skill training centres to be set up in various districts.
Punjab, said the minister, had a significant presence of micro and small enterprises, all potential ‘engines of growth and inclusive development’. “These units deserve all encouragement, given the huge employment potential they offer,” he said, while announcing an ‘entrepreneurship development programme’ for five years. An interest subvention at three per cent will be provided on loans taken to set up a micro or small enterprise with investment of up to Rs 5 crore.
Punjab has 160,000 units in the micro and small enterprise category, providing jobs to about 1.15 million persons.
To enhance the employability of youth and to assist the said sector, there would be an empowered ‘State Skill Development Mission’, with tiers at the state, district and block level. Dhindsa said 22 Multi Skill Development Centres, one in each district, would be set up in a phased manner. In the first phase, centres are being set up at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Ropar.
Also, three skill development centres in the health sector, at the medical colleges of Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot.
There would also be three such centres for the construction sector, in partnership with companies. About 2,000 skill training centres for girls and 500 for boys would be opened in villages, in the existing infrastructure of government schools and other buildings when not in use.
The minister said the government would bring a reasonable 'one time settlement' policy for promoted and loanee companies of state government corporations, to set free blocked investment.
