Odisha government to launch new self-employment scheme

The Odisha government is all set to launch Biju Atma Nijukti Yojana, a scheme named after former chief minister Biju Patnaik, to provide loans and subsidy to the people of the state for self employment.

"The draft of the scheme has been prepared. It will be sent for the concurrence of finance department," said Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Secretary Panchanan Dash.

Dash said the department aims to generate one lakh jobs in the 2015-16 financial year in the MSME sector.

He also said that the government would bring in a procurement policy making it mandatory for the state-level public sector undertakings and all the departments to procure at least 20 per cent of their product and service needs from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

It would be in line with the Centre's policy, which has also mandated that all central government PSUs would procure 20 per cent of their annual requirement from SMEs.

He said there will be a sub-target of four percent for procurement from SMEs owned by entrepreneurs from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SC/ST) communities.

"It is expected that the procurement policy would come up within two-three months," said Dash.

Sources said the policy is awaiting the approval of the finance department and after the approval it would be put before the cabinet.