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Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, on Thursday urged MSMEs to develop products and components for defence and infrastructure sectors.
“We have proved our strength in digital technology and space technology. We need to now equip ourselves in the defence and infrastructure space as well,” the minister said.
Intec 2017He was speaking at the 17th edition of the International Machine Tools and Industrial Trade Fair – Intec 2017, a flagship event organised by Codissia Intec Technology Centre.
“The government has allowed FDI in defence, railways and housing, but that does not mean we can be laidback. Entrepreneurs should gear up to make products including AK47 rifles, bullet proof jackets and so on to make the ‘Make in India’ initiative a total success. Instead of sourcing such products from elsewhere, they can enter into tie-up with foreign investors and manufacture the products here,” the minister suggested.
Skilling centresThe ministry plans to set up skill development centres with support from World Bank. “We intend to set up 16 MSME skill development centres and impart training to 5 lakh people,” he said and pointed out that since Independence, the successive governments in all these years had established only 18 MSME centres and trained about 2.5 lakh people.
“Upskilling is the need of the hour and the MSMEs should strive to make zero-defect products to survive in the globally competitive environment,” he said and urged the TN ministers who were present at the event to study the defence policy framed by the Gujarat government.
Chaudhary’s reference to Gujarat government’s defence policy was in response to the state government’s request for a Defence Park and Medi Park in Coimbatore.
Mangat Ram Sharma, Principal Secretary, MSME, Government of Tamil Nadu, earlier said that the state has formulated four different schemes to help the MSMEs and doubled the MSME budget allocation.
The five day expo will conclude on June 5.
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