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MADURAI, Feb. 9

THE Central Government's Industrial Cluster Development Scheme (ICDS) for upgrading industrial infrastructure through creation of common facility centres has found favour with a section of industrialists in the Kappalur Industrial Estate and food grain merchants here.

The ICDS is essentially meant to upgrade infrastructure in the existing industrial clusters. Proposals for upgradation of infrastructure from industrialists have been received by the District Industries Centres (DICs).

The Madurai DIC has been meeting the proprietors of readymade units to encourage them to avail the scheme wherein the stakeholders' share is 25 per cent of the investment and the rest is given as grant by the Central Government. The project cost for establishing such common facility centres could be up to Rs 50 crore, according to the General Manager of DIC, Mr R. Arangannal.

While the proposal given by the Kappalur industrialists pertained to power generation, the food grains merchants wanted to develop their yard at the Koodal Nagar. The DIC is in the process of conducting a `diagnostic study', to determine in what way the proposed infrastructural facility will help the stakeholders and the extent to which the manufacturing or production capacity of the units will increase due to the facility and the requirement of funds.

. By availing the benefit of the ICDS, facilities such as warehouse (to store raw materials), cold storage (for preserving perishable products), testing laboratories of international standards, market development centre and skill imparting centre could be created.

For instance, materials cleared by the high-standard testing laboratories would be deemed fit for exports. The DIC is in the process of training 1,100 women under the State Government's Entrepreneurship Development Programme. Of them, 525 are members from self-help groups and 350 are women with technical qualifications from ITIs, polytechnics or a degree in subjects like Computer Science.

To get over the problem of marketing, the SHGs have been advised by the officials to concentrate on local requirements such as soap, agarbathi, masala powder etc. Adequate emphasis is being given on quality of the products.

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