The Central Government has included Durg in Chhattisgarh under its ‘Technology Centre Systems Programme (TCSP)’ in which a total of 15 new Technology Centres will be established across the country with the decision taken to also upgrade existing Technology Centres (TCs). The total estimated cost of the programme is Rs2,200 crore, including World Bank loan assistance of $200 million. The establishment of new Technology Centres under World Bank assisted TCSP is under process.
The programme is to be implemented over a period of six years. The Programme Steering Committee (PSC) has identified nine locations for establishment of new Technology Centres as on date, where the State Governments have offered land. This was informed by the Union Minister of State, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises,Giriraj Singh in a written reply to a question in lok Sabha on Monday.
Notably, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India has already established 18 Technology Centres (TCs) earlier known as Tool Rooms (10 Nos) and Technology Development Centres (8 Nos) spread across the country.
The Technology Centre’s primary focus is to support industries particularly MSMEs in the country through access to advanced manufacturing technologies , skilling manpower by offering opportunities for technical skill development to the youth at varying levels ranging from school dropouts to graduate engineers and providing technical and business advisory support to MSME entrepreneurs.
Recent evaluation studies have reported success of TCs in serving MSMEs and therefore there is a strong need to replicate these at more locations across the country so that MSMEs in the remaining states can also benefit from such centres, a Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises report stated.
Accordingly, the Government of India has approved to upgrade and expand the network of MSME Technology Centres across India, it stated. Towards achieving this objective,the Uhion Ministry of MSME is in the process of establishing 15 Technology Centers (TCs) and upgrading /modernizing the existing TCs under the Technology Centre Systems Programme (TCSP).
The TCSP has been conceptualized to create an innovative eco system with four distinct components which will engage with each other to create value. The programme entails establishment of physical infrastructure which includes establishment of 15 New Technology Centers and upgrading/modernising existing Technology Centers, engaging the services of world class Technology Partner for establishing a National Portal for creating a vibrant, interactive and self sustainable technology platform to meet various needs of MSMEs.
Already 9 States have allotted around 65 acres of land free of cost and 9 more States are in the process of allotting land for this programme, it stated.