Imported wood cluster at Paradip in the offing

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has asked the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) to earmark 100 acres of land for the proposed imported wood cluster at Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district.

“The wood to be imported by the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) from Malaysia will be locally processed and given finishing touch,” Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) minister Jogendra Behera told media persons after a review meeting on the yearly performance of his department by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here today.

Behera said the meeting decided that a new food park would be set up in Deogarh district.

The chief minister directed the department to expedite the construction of a food park at Deras on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar and another in Rayagada district.

The meeting revealed that more than 50,000 small industries have been set up in the state during 2015-16 and 1.75 lakh youths have been employed. The chief minister directed the department to make efforts to set up 1.5 lakh small industries by 2018-19 to create employment opportunity for four lakh youths.

The meeting was informed that Entrepreneur Assistance Centres have been opened in the District Industries Centres (DIC) in all the districts.

To encourage the entrepreneurs in setting up of small industries, the government has set up Venture capital Fund of Rs 10 crore, which will start operation from the current fiscal. Besides, the state government will provide financial assistance to the entrepreneurs under Biju Atamanijukti Yojana, which will be implemented very soon.