RBHs to provide employment in HP, says PHDCCI

Shimla, Dec 8: The PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) today called upon the Himachal Pradesh government to set up rural business hubs (RBHs) with private-public-panchayat partnership for providing more job opportunities in rural areas of the state.

The setting up of RBHs would not only help in creating rural infrastructure but would also provide more employment and self employment opportunities, giving boost to cottage and agro industries in the state, PHDCCI's spokesman said, in a statement here.

He said the hubs would also help in skill up-gradation of rural people through research, extension and information technology (IT) for improving the condition of the rural areas.

Though rural market offered great opportunities, they had not expanded due to widespread rural poverty, large variations in income levels beside lack of accessibility, penetration and lack of infrastructure, the spokesman said.

He said public-private-panchayat partnership initiative, backed by guaranteed rural employment and development of backward areas, would trigger self-sustaining economic development of the rural areas of the state.

The spokesman said besides promoting cottage and handicraft industries, the state Government could create a good network of engineering, foundry, agro-based and livestock-based industries in Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, Bilaspur, Sirmaur and Solan districts of the state.

The spokesman said while Kullu, Shimla, Chamba, Mandi, Bilaspur and Solan districts were best suited for horticulture and forest-based industries, handicraft units could be set up in Kinnuar, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kullu and Shimla districts. He said the state had immense potential in horticulture, off season vegetables, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, medicinal and aromatic plants, floriculture, organic farming, besides sericulture and fish production.

More exposure to rural and village industry would spur demand for handicraft items and organic agro products in the western countries, he said.

The PHDCCI also suggested MoU between NIFT, NID and other government agencies for better design development, better production techniques and research for new ideas and focus on quality control and certification, brand identification and patent registration.

It also called for the setting up of a professional marketing agency for marketing the goods from the state and the establishment of a good supply chain management system for integration of backward areas of the state.

UNI