Orissa wants two mini tool rooms

The Orissa government has sent two proposals before the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MMSME) for setting up mini tool rooms in the state. The move comes after the Union Cabinet approved the setting up of mini tool rooms across the country through the public private partnership (PPP) mode.

The state government has proposed the setting up of 2 mini tool rooms at Paralakhemundi and Choudwar, considered the small industries hub.

The mini tool rooms, if set up, would cater to the growing demand in the SME sector in Orissa for sophisticated engineering equipment.

The facility will also impart training to candidates in manufacturing these tools. Orissa does have a tool room, the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC), near the information technology park in Bhubaneswar. The CTTC, however, is not sufficient to train the growing number of candidates.

The Orissa CTTC was set up with Danish collaboration, but now the Centre is the sole proprietor of the body. Other than sophisticated machine purchase through central grants, the Orissa CTTC also focuses on providing common facility machinery for the small scale industries (SSI) sector, training in tool engineering and consultancy to the SME sector.

For the moment, though, the Centre plans an extension counter of Orissa CTTC to met the soaring demand from the small scale industries and pressure from the candidates who want to train in a tool room The candidates are mostly school drop-outs and pass outs, engineering degree and diploma course holders and also Bsc degree holders.

According to regulations, the Centre will provide grants for machinery purchase and the state will provide land for setting up the mini tool room building.

The general manger of the Orissa CTTC, Sibasis Maity, said: "About 9 acres of additional land would be required to set up the extension counter. The Orissa government is in the final stages of sanctioning land. About Rs 3 crore would be spent for setting up the land and building for the venture."

Orissa CTTC currently offers 22 courses to 1,200 students through its finishing schools set up on 12.9 acres of land. The CTTC gets a modernisation grant of Rs 3 crore every year from the Centre and the remaining expenses are managed through course fees. With the extension centre coming up the CTTC will be able to manage 4,500 trainees.

There are 11 mini tool rooms across the country and the Centre proposes to set up another 10 through the PPP mode.

The recent proposal to set up more mini tool rooms, which was accepted by the cabinet committee on economic affairs, was one of the key recommendations of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council set up by the Centre with a view to improve industrial competition, particularly in the MSME sector.

Maity added: "With each passing day, there is an increased need in the MSME sector for sophisticated tool manufacturing, training in tool engineering and computerised numerical controls. In Orissa also many small and medium industries are coming up and therefore some more mini tool rooms are necessary."