Small scale industry should stand on its own quality

Panaji, Mar 15 (UNI) Small Scale industries should take advantage of all the subsidy schemes available for their growth and development to stand global competitiveness, Mr J K Arya, Industrial Advisor (modernisation), Union ministry of small scale industries today said.

Inaugurating a 2-day national level vendor development programme cum exhibition here, Mr Arya said the Centre was ready to exhibit the high-quality products of small scale industries in exhibitions abroad free of cost for promoting their promotion.

''The main problem the SSI is facing today is marketing of their products, not the technology or finances,'' he said. In this connection, he had enumerated various subsidy/assistance schemes in vogue by respective state governments and the Centre.

The schemes included subsidy for upgradation or setting up modern tool rooms, testing centres, credit guarantee and securing ISO:9000 certification.

Goa Chief Secretary J P Singh, on the other hand, pleaded that the SSI should face the competition by developing hi-tech, high-end products without depending too much on reservations and subsidies.

''Real competitor does not depend on these schemes but tries to create a niche for himself to stand in the market with competitiveness,'' he said.

Most of the states including Delhi and Goa want to encourage high-tech, non-polluting industries using high-end technology to develop top quality products with value addition, he said.

Even the mining industry, which produces low-grade iron ore in Goa, now facing the burden of Rs 300 per tonne export duty, should try to resort to value addition to meet the domestic requirements without depending too much on exports.

''Do not look for government help. The era of hand holding had gone. Grow on your own by producing quality products for the niche market,'' Mr Singh said.

He had also pleaded with the industry and the academia to stick to the ''public-private-partnership'' for developing a curriculum suitable to the changing requirements of the industry like in Germany and other developed nations.

In this connection, the Chief Secretary, who had earlier worked as Industries Commissioner, Union government, said the public sector enterprises needed more SSI vendors like in Germany. There was a scope for improvement in this regard, he added.

Earlier, Mr Singh inaugurated the exhibition in which public and private sector units showcased their industrial goods paving way for buyer-sellor promotion.

Goa secretary of industries V K Jha, representatives of the Small Industries Service Institute, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SIDBI and Goa Small Industries Association which have jointly organised the event, participated.

UNI