THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ‘mass entrepreneurship movement’ planned by the industries department will present a ‘reverse model’ where officials will be searching for entrepreneurs. The plan is to put an end to red-tapism and corruption when an entrepreneur approaches various government departments for necessary sanctions to launch an enterprise.
The industries department is gearing up to launch a mega entrepreneur hunt next month. The target is to facilitate 1 lakh new ventures in the coming financial year, covering diverse sectors ranging from traditional industries to food processing, IT and electronics.
A series of meetings and consultations are on with various departments, industry organisations and professional bodies as part of preparatory works of the mass entrepreneurship movement, said Industries Minister P Rajeeve. The other government departments associated with the ‘one lakh MSME programme’ for economic development and job creation are local self-government, cooperation, agriculture, fisheries and dairy development.
“The programme is designed in the reverse direction. The government agencies will go after aspiring entrepreneurs and give them all support. We will help them select a potential sector and will arrange finance and subsidies for them. Licensing procedures have already been simplified,” Rajeeve told TNIE.
Based on extensive consultations, the industries department has prepared a list of three potential areas or products for every local self-government. The local bodies can select any of them or suggest another one, which will be the prime focus area for new ventures. The local body is free to start other ventures as well. The industries department will deploy an intern -- an MBA holder -- in every local body to support the entrepreneurs. The associating departments and the interns will have to meet the target set by the government on the number of new ventures.
“The interns are the department’s arms for pro-active support to the entrepreneurs. The investor will not be left to the mercy of sanctioning or licensing authorities. The interns will help them with the preparation of project reports and securing necessary clearances,” the minister said.
The government will also facilitate private industrial estates to achieve the target according to schedule. Those setting up estates on ten acres or more will be given incentives for infrastructure development and a single-window clearance facility. The industries department will also start clusters of related enterprises near these estates. Launching a Kerala Brand certification and interest subvention scheme are also part of the programme.
Along with the target of one lakh MSMEs, the minister said there would be efforts to raise the standards of existing MSMEs. “Nano enterprises will be equipped to become micro, and micro to small and small to medium,” he said.
Mega hunt to achieve target
The mega entrepreneur hunt of the industries department will be launched next month
1 lakh new ventures is the target of the department in the coming financial year, covering diverse sectors ranging from traditional industries to food processing, IT and electronics.