MSME bats for Kalimpong, Darj development

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 11 DECEMBER: The state government's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department has stressed on the need to develop the Hills, especially the newly-created Kalimpong district.

Notably, the government has created a new post of a Joint Director at Uttarkanya to look after the MSME department for the north Bengal region comprising six of the eight districts. Malda and South Dinajpur districts are under the MSME's Berhampore circle.

Dipankar Chakraborty, who has joined as the Joint Director of the MSME at Uttarkanya, today left for Kalimpong, while he is scheduled to visit Darjeeling tomorrow.

"We have found potential and prospects for MSME in the newly-formed Kalimpong district, based on both agriculture and floriculture sectors,' Mr Chakraborty told this correspondent today. Citing an example, Mr Chakraborty said:''MSME project scan be executed based on cultivation of cardamom at Gorubathan in Kalimpong.

'I have started visiting Kaliinpong district just to take stock of the situation and for setting up an office for entrepreneurship development.

We need to know and overcome 'bottlenecks' that have created problems for the implementation of the MSME projects. I will interact with administrative officials to formulate strategies, so as to organise training programmes, for micro, small and medium scale entrepreneurs," he added.

According to him, the state government plans to organize skill development programmes, especially for boys and girls in the Hills in the tourism sector.

Hill youth and girls are efficient. We have planned to organize skill development programmes for them in several sectors, which are related to the main tourism industry in the Hills. If they develop their skills methodically, there will be a sea change in the Hills," he claimed.

The Joint director has already interacted with tour operators and stakeholders in the Dooars region, it is learnt.