OdishaPlus Bureau
The report on economic possibilities for Odisha prepared jointly by JSW and PwC strongly feels that mapping and profiling of MSME Units and Clusters are needed to know the real position. And this can be done through proper MSME Census, feel experts. According to them, the MSME Census is needed in Odisha to assess the actual statistics and status of the Sector, which has a major role in the development of the economy in the State.
The latest Economic Survey of the State Government reveals that there are 50,158 MSME units set up with an investment of Rs 2,324.46 crore by 2017-18 leading to employment generation for 1.47 lakh persons.
Altogether 3,91,697 MSMEs are established with an investment of Rs.19,068 crore providing employment to 15,27,373 persons till March,2019.
During the last five years, a total of 1,98,736 MSME units were set up and started production with a total investment of Rs.109.75 crore and employment generation of 6.28 lakh persons in the State. However, the experts opine that with such statistics, a proper assessment of the MSME sector cannot be done.
A single database is needed and all MSMEs are to be formally brought under State Management Information Service (SMIS) of Industries with all their activities linked – financing, manpower, raw material requirement, and markets.
Once it is done then one can visualize the entire sector and thereby to study and sort out the problems faced by MSMEs, pointed out an expert.
MSME cluster diagnosis and sickness study of all clusters in the State is needed to be done, he said. The development of cluster development plan and common facilities and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV)s for the operation of the same is needed to be taken up also. The State needed the development of MSME Parks and Start-up Innovation Parks in Plug and Play Model.J SW-PwC Report suggests that at least all Blocks should have One MSME Park.
Report suggests Institutional and Policy Reforms, which include Capacity Building of District Industries Centre (DIC)s across all the districts of the State.
It suggested the introduction of single window marketing and forward-backward linkage helpdesk and facilitation center for MSME sector.