Bhubaneswar: A world-class tool room training centre will be established in Rourkela and 45 Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises clusters will be developed in Odisha, Union Minister of State (MSME) Pratap Sarangi informed today.
Addressing media persons after meeting State CM Naveen Patnaik to discuss on various issues, Sarangi said that the Centre has approved establishment of the training centre much like the CTTC (Central Tool Room & Training Centre) at the cost of Rs 200 crore. Four extension centres which will function under the monitoring of tool room will be set up at Berhampur, Keonjhar, Kalahandi & Balasore. The cost of setting up each extension centre will be around Rs 20 crore.
The Centre will make provisions of funds for the projects and Odisha government will provide necessary land. Proposals for two of the extension centres have already been sent to the concerned ministry, the third is almost ready while in case of the last one in Balasore, only a suitable patch of land has been identified but no letters have been sent from the State government side.
The union minister further informed that out of the total approved 226 MSME clusters across the country, 45 will be developed in Odisha.
Sarangi said that around 6700 acres of unused land in coastal districts of Odisha like Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Ganjam will be used for developing brackish water aquaculture projects.
"If small farmers are provided lease to take up such projects, they would not have to spend more on digging water sources and it will also immensely increase fish production in the State and help in the upliftment of livelihood of farming community," said Sarangi.