Govt to create Rs 150 cr IT facilities for small units

The government will spend Rs 150 crore on a scheme enabling small and medium firms modernise their operations using information technology.     

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is working on the scheme and would soon take it to the Cabinet, an official said.     

The plan to be implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) would provide financial assistance to the units located in the industrial clusters of Panipat, Ludhiana, Tirupur and Moradabad among others.     

It is likely to become operational in the next two-three months, the official said.     

He said the scheme is a part of National Manufacturing Competitive Programme being implemented under the 11th Plan.     

Each of the clusters to be covered under the scheme would have an electronic resource centre for meeting common requirements of the units. These would be managed by local IT software providers.     

To encourage technological upgradation among MSMEs, the government is also running a scheme called Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (CLCSS), under which 15 per cent subsidy is given to the units.     

At present, CLCSS does not cover the IT applications but with the introduction of the new programme, the facility would be extended to the small units.