Cairn sets up training programme for SMEs

Cairn India, which has discovered the largest oil field in the country in Rajasthan, after ONGC's Bombay High discovery in 1974, and International Finance Corporation (IFC) have opened an enterprise centre as part of its programme for training local small businesses in and around its oil field.

The small and medium enterprise (SME) training programme is part of three programmes that Cairn and IFC are undertaking in Barmer.

A rural dairy project, through which 13 milk collection centres, to collect marketable volumes of milk from the Barmer region, was set up a year ago.

IFC will manage operations at the enterprise centre in Barmer, and will bring with it experience from similar such successful ventures in Azerbaijan, Chad, Mozambique and Peru.

The enterprise centre is designed to help local firms become suppliers to Cairn's oil field development activities.

Besides, representatives of the local firms will also be trained to cater to other businesses in Rajasthan.

"These firms will, in turn, create jobs and generate other opportunities to support communities across the Barmer region," IFC executive vice-president Lars Thunell said in a statement.

The enterprise centre will be equipped with Internet connections in order to help small local firms connect with the world. Also, finance opportunities will be provided to the SMEs which will help their businesses.

The SME programme, however, is not aimed at being a charitable one. It will be market-driven and the company itself plans to give order for ancillary requirements to local suppliers. The local suppliers will have to meet quality specifications, for which the employees of the local firms will be trained.

Cairn India chief executive officer Rahul Dhir said in a statement: "This is an important facility (the enterprise centre) which we hope will be of great value to the local communities in and around our operations in Rajasthan."

Cairn and IFC have also held programmes for textile SMEs in the region through which, design technologies and export opportunities are given.