BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) has roped in Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Bhubaneswar to evaluate the performance and activities of village industries and identify grey areas which would help in formulating effective strategies for boosting entrepreneurship.
A team of students of Rural Management wing of the premier institute along with KVIB officials will visit districts and make detailed assessment of individual units. They will identify the problems, prospects and opportunities related to specific industries.
Two teams were flagged off by MSME Minister Jogendra Behera here on Sunday. They will visit Cuttack and Khurda districts. While in Cuttack, the study would be conducted on fly ash units, garments and textiles, patho-labs, fabrication units, bread and bakery, incense stick manufacturing, in Khurda, stone carving, fabrication, ‘pattachitra’, bell metal manufacturing and modern art will be on focus. “Each team comprises six XIMB students accompanied by one KVIB official. They will make individual case studies and submit a report before August 1. The evaluation will help us identify problem areas and initiate corrective measures. The students will also suggest other areas that can be explored. The objective is to make village industries sustainable and encourage entrepreneurship,” KVIB president Tejeswar Parida said. The Board has also decided to revive the Multi-disciplinary Training Centre at Gandamunda by taking it over from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under the Union MSME Ministry. The State Government has proposed to construct physical infrastructure and provide manpower while the KVIC will extend financial support for its operation. The State has already submitted the proposal to KVIC in this connection.
The Board has decided to start entrepreneurship development programmes in different disciplines. Plans are afoot to set up an automated honey and mustard oil production facility there. The Centre has, however, fallen victim to encroachment with more than two acres of the total six acre under illegal occupation. “We have written to the General Administration (GA) Department to clear the encroachment so that construction work can be started soon,” Parida said. The KVIB has, meanwhile, announced that all its Khadi Gramodyog stores would be open throughout the week irrespective of Sundays, second Saturdays and Holidays. They will be open from 10 am to 10 pm everyday.