Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari virtually inaugurated two technology centres at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, three extension centres of big technological centres and seven mobile Udyam Express on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said that “if the country has to overcome three biggest problems of poverty, starvation and unemployment, then we have to create jobs”. He emphasised on “conversion of knowledge into wealth”. The Minister stressed on a “district-wise development plan to realise the dream of making an Aatmanirbhar Bharat”. He said that “the technological centres should have coordination, cooperation and communication with the local industries”.
Talking about huge potential of Indian youth for research and innovation, Gadkari said that “the youth of the country needs exposure, assistance and equipment to be successful”. Gadkari said that “all arms of the Government should work in a coordinated manner to change social-economic landscape of the place”. He emphasised that “the country has huge potential for raw material, young and skilled manpower, government is ready to support all entrepreneurs and we need to take the cooperation of IITs, engineering colleges and successful persons in the society”. Gadkari highlighted the need for integrated thinking and exhorted all stakeholders to come together, think together and work together. Talking about Indian automobile sector,Gadkari said that “the target is to make Indian automobile industry worth 10 lakh crore rupees in next five years from present 4,50,000 lakh crore rupees”.
The MSME Minister laid more emphasis on performance audit of all the technological and extension centres. He called upon all concerned to make the system “result-oriented, transparent and corruption-free”.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for MSME, Pratap Chandra Sarangi said that “around 2,50,000 students are getting training at these centres and the tool room works from normal designing to the area of robotics”. Talking about the mobile Udyam Express, Sarangi said that “these mobile vans will go to the villages and make people aware about all aspects of entrepreneurship along with imparting training to them”. He said these vans will help people know everything about MSMEs.
By establishing the new Technology Centres and Extension Centres throughout the country, the main objective of the Ministry of MSME is to further increase the geographic footprint of Technology Centres network through future ready new Technological Centres with vertical as well as horizontal expansion to cover more states and regions.
It is estimated that after establishment of the new TCs/ECs, an additional capacity of skilling four lakh trainees and assisting one lakh MSMEs will be created to provide technology, incubation, skilling and advisory support to the Industry in the country, enabling increased competitiveness of the MSMEs, creation of new MSMEs and enhancement in the employability of the employed/unemployed youth in the country.
