Orissa plans to start cluster mapping for development in SMEs & cottage industries

The Orissa government plans to start a ‘cluster mapping’ exercise soon to optimize the growth of the existing clusters and identify the possibility of setting up new clusters in the state. It include possible measures for the development of clusters in areas like small and medium enterprises (SMEs), handicrafts, and cottage industries. The method adopted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) for cluster mapping will be followed in this exercise and some people in the state industry department have been trained for the purpose.

As part of the UNIDO project, the directorate of industries, directorate of handicrafts and cottage industries and directorate of textile and handlooms have adopted 2 clusters each as model clusters. This is proposed to be replicated at other locations. The state government planned to develop 86 clusters. It may be noted, the development of enterprise through cluster approach was initiated in the Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR), 2001. It was taken forward in the IPR, 2007 and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development policy 2009. The directorate of industries of the Orissa government is taking steps to leverage funds from Micro and Small Enterprise Development Programme (MSE-CDP) of the government of India (GoI)