The Hindu Business Line : `Small, medium scale units crucial in supply chain'

FLEXIBLE labour relations and balanced wage rates are the critical factors for the success of small and medium scale enterprises, said Dr Asim Dasgupta, West Bengal Finance Minister.

He was inaugurating the third annual conference on corporate citizenship organised by the Centre for Social Markets here on Friday.

The two-day seminar is focusing on small, medium and micro enterprises.

According to Dr Dasgupta, small and medium scale units will continue to play a crucial role in the supply chain of big corporates and large industrial houses but it should also have a direct access to the market.

In this context, he said, West Bengal has a strategic geographic location as the gateway to the north-eastern States and neighbouring countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The total population of this region is over 400 million. The Centre for Social Markets is an independent non-profit organisation, dedicated to make markets work for the triple bottom line, namely people, planet and profit. Later at a technical session on public-private partnerships for social investments, Mr Coen Kompier, Specialist, International Labour Organisation (ILO), talked on the importance of corporate social responsibility.

While talking on this subject he mentioned the initiatives taken by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu. According to him, the Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to table a Bill in the State Assembly to abolish child labour and introduce compulsory schooling for all children.

ILO is helping the Andhra Pradesh Government frame policies and work out legislature on child labour. "The State Government will also provide counselling to those parents who are not willing to send their kids to school," Mr Kompier said.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has also committed itself to set up standard schools in each and every remote locality of the State. These schools will be asked to provide quality education to young boys and girls.

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