New Delhi, July 13 (KNN) The Haryana government has invested Rs 224 crore in various clusters in the state, said Vipul Goel, Haryana Industries and Commerce Minister.

Addressing a press conference, Goel said that the central government has highly appreciated the Cluster Scheme of Haryana and recognized and named it as a Model Cluster Scheme.

He said that the state government has come up with its own Mini cluster development program which is providing 90 per cent grant-in-aid (up-to Rs two crore project) for setting up of common facility centre to encourage Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

Under this scheme, 23 clusters have been identified and the DPRs for 13 clusters out of approved 21 clusters have been prepared and the same have been accorded final approval by State Level Steering Committee (SLSC) for setting up of Common Facility Centers (CFC) in the respective clusters, he added

Covering 11598 units under this scheme, the total proposed project cost is over Rs 43 crore, said Goel.

Talking more about the government initiatives in facilitating MSMEs, Goel said that the state government has set up MSME Facilitation Desk for all 21 District Industry Centers (DIC) across the state.

This will not only provide essential information to MSME but also helps them in the process of gaining the benefits of various schemes of the central and the state governments.

Highlighting Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) scheme of Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), he said that the funding pattern of this scheme is in the ratio of 70:20:10 by government, State and SPV respectively. A CFC would be set up in the state at a cost of Rs 15 crore.

Under this scheme 12 clusters are under implementation out of which seven clusters have received final approval from the central government and another four clusters are in process for obtaining in-principle approval from the Union government in the forthcoming Steering Committee.

The total proposed project cost is around Rs 181 crore which would benefit around 1625 units, Goel informed.

Further, he added that the under Mega Food Park Scheme (MFPS) of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), central government, the state government would set up Mega Food Park Project at Industrial Estate Barhi Phase III, over an area of about 75 acres with an investment of about Rs 177 crore which would generate employment opportunity for about 12,000 persons.

He also informed that at present, an investment amounting to value Rs 91 crore has already been made which has resulted in 100 per cent completion of Dry warehouse, 100 per cent completion of Sheds or Standard Design Factories, 85 per cent completion of Administrative building, 95 per cent completion of Core Processing Centre- civil works.