PM Modi to inaugurate National SC/ST Hub, launch ZED Scheme on Oct 18 in Ludhiana

Ludhiana, Oct 13 (KNN) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his trip to the city for the MSME National Awards, is likely to inaugurate National SC/ST Hub to support the schedules caste and scheduled tribe entrepreneurs.

This was announced during the first meeting of the National High Power Committee on SC/ST Hub meeting headed by Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister for MSME held in the national capital in September.

PM Modi will also launch zero defect, zero effect (on environment) (ZED) scheme and distribute charkhas to women.

MSME Ministry is taking all measures to ensure that the event takes place smoothly on October 18.

Recently, MoS MSME Giriraj Singh and Haribhai Parthibhai Choudhary were in the city to take stock of the preparations being done for the event.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra and Governor of Punjab V P Singh Badnore will be present at the event.

Under the ZED model, units will be awarded bronze, silver, gold, diamond and platinum ratings based on their performance.

MSME Ministry has made an initial allotment of allocation of Rs. 490 crore for the period 2016-2020 for the National SC/ST Hub. The Hub would primarily aid in strengthening market access/linkage, monitoring, capacity building, leveraging financial support schemes and sharing industry best practices etc. The hub would operate from National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Headquarters in Delhi, supported by a special cell created for this purpose.

For the smooth functioning of the Hub, various committees were constituted viz, High powered Monitoring Committee headed by Minister for MSME, Advisory Committee headed by Shri Milind Kamble, President DICCI, Empowered project Approval Committee headed by Secretary, MSME.

Representatives of Industry associations, DICCI, CII, FICCI, FISME, India SME Forum etc unanimously welcomed the new initiative of Government of India for creation of this Hub and offered their suggestions as to what activities could be undertaken by this Hub to bridge the gap between the supply and demand side. (KNN Bureau)