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| Ravindra Nath, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NSIC inaugurating the regional office of National SC-ST Hub in Ludhiana today |
Ludhiana, March 14, 2018 (Team Online News Ludhiana): In a bid to facilitate and encourage the entrepreneurs belonging to the SC-ST community, Ravindra Nath, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), an enterprise of Government of India, inaugurated the regional office of National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) at Millerganj on Wednesday.
It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the National SC-ST hub Initiative in Ludhiana on October 18, 2016, and had announced that Ludhiana, being an important economic center, would be included in the cities at where Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises would set up a National SC-ST Hub. A state-level conclave was held on January 8, 2018, on National SC-ST Hub.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman Ravindra Nath said that Punjab has 35 percent SC population which is needed to be given more opportunities and the NSSH office would fulfill all the requirements of the SC entrepreneurs from their preparing files, arranging meetings with banks and ensuring easy availability of the loans to start the business and marketing of the products, helping in organizing exhibitions in the country and foreign countries and others.
He claimed that office would also hold routine interactions with industry associations to understand their expectations and give them opportunities to play a larger role.
Further, he informed the Punjab Government has given its nod to open an incubation centre at Rajpura in which training would be provided to the youths for setting up their businesses in Punjab.
Inviting the SC-ST Entrepreneurs with open arms, NSIC Chairman said that we would leave no stone unturned in creating the awareness about the scheme so that its benefits can be reached to the maximum people in the society.
He disclosed that public sector undertakings (PSUs) have been given an annual target for 20 percent procurement from Micro, Small and Medium Industries and they have to procure 4 percent from Micro, Small and Medium Industries which are being owned by SC-ST entrepreneurs.
On this occasion, Former Chairman of Punjab State Schedule Castes Commission Rajesh Bagha, National Small Industries Corporation Limited's Zonal General Manager Paramjeet Singh, Ludhiana Centre Head Ravi Kant and others were present.