Surat, Jan 17 (KNN) Industries in the South of Gujarat are keen to strengthen its agri and food processing sector and has urged the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to announce setting up of minimum 3 parks in the region providing cold storages.

In an exclusive interview with KNN India, Ashish P. Gujarati, Past President of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) said, “Apart from textiles, South of Gujarat has enormous potential in the agri and food processing sector. We request the central government to consider establishing minimum 3 parks in the region which will help MSME units grow.”

Gujarati who is an entrepreneur in the textile sector based in Surat, highlighted the need to have a new ‘Textile Technology Mission Scheme’.

“Focusing on upgradation, textile units must be provided 30 per cent incentive especially to the weaving, knitting, dyeing and processing and garment industry,” he added.

Talking about Surat’s diamond business, he sought for a new PLI scheme for manufacturing of gems and jewellery.

Highlighting the average performance of MSMEs this year, Prashant Patel, President, Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) said that the biggest support needed from the government is on the finance and banking front.

Patel who is the Director of R.K. Synthetics Ltd, Ahmedabad & Prashant Industries, Surat has raised this issue in FISME’s budget representation to FM in New Delhi.

Advocating for the distressed MSMEs, he said, “FISME has called for more effective intervention by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to improve quality of banking services and enhance credit flow to MSMEs.”

“We have also sought a uniform policy and creation of desk in RBI to resolve rising number of complaints about foreclosure charges being levied by a few private sector banks,” he added.  

Patel further said that industries in South of Gujarat are not able to speed up the common industrial infrastructure development process which would require a generous push from the government in form of new scheme or subsidy.  (KNN Bureau)