The Micro, Small, and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) will strive to be the largest employment providers in Coimbatore, said R. Ramamoorthy, president of Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA), here on Thursday.
The District Industries Centre, Coimbatore (DIC) and CODISSIA organised “UN Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day” on Thursday. Mr. Ramamoorthy said the MSMEs have taken a pledge on this day to generate more jobs. The sector provides employment to nearly 12 crore people in the country. It also develops unskilled workforce into skilled manpower. MSMEs should, hence, be treated as a priority sector.
Mr. Ramamoorthy urged District Collector K. Rajamani, who took part in the programme, to conduct a grievances redress meeting once in three months for the MSMEs.
Members from about a dozen industrial associations took part in the meeting and interacted with the Collector, highlighting the issues the units faced.
One of the problems faced by the MSMEs across the district was resistance to operating the industries in residential areas. If an industry is set up in an area, a few houses come up nearby leading to development of residential colonies.
Then there is opposition to the functioning of the industry in that area, they said. The District Collector assured that in the case of such complaints, both the sides would be heard and only then action would be taken.
R. Kannan, General Manager of DIC, said the Central and State Governments were organising events at several locations to commemorate the MSME day.
Hence, an interaction was organised between the Collector and the unit owners here. The Collector also distributed certificates to beneficiaries who had completed a week’s training under the Unemployed Youth Employment Generation Programme.
On investments attracted at Global Investors Meet held this year in the State, he said that 2411 projects were expected to attract ₹ 3,831 crore investments from MSMEs in Coimbatore District. So far, 594 projects have taken off, attracting ₹360.44 crore investment.
Later in the day, Canara Bank organised a meeting for MSME Day in the city.