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President Speaks

President Speak - April 2008

IIA’s Efforts towards Cluster Development

In the Budget 2008-09 the Finance Minister proposes to take up six centres for development as mega clusters. They include Varanasi and Sibsagar for handlooms, Bhiwandi and Erode for powerlooms and Narsaspur and Moradabad for handicrafts. An initial provision of Rs. 100 crore has been made for these mega clusters. In the next five years, resources worth Rs 3,500-4,000 crore are likely to be invested in cluster development programmes in the country.
I believe this is the right time for IIA to think seriously about some intensive work in the direction of cluster formation. Not that we have not made any efforts up till now:

One of the aims of the industrial survey being carried out since last year is to collect such a data which gives us an idea as to where and what types of clusters can be formed effectively. If IIA members and other MSMEs also would respond to the survey, it will help us in identifying the groups for cluster formation in different regions of U.P. and Uttarakhand. The survey form may be filled online or can be downloaded from www.iiaonline.in.

The pull of the market, availability of physical and social infrastructural facilities and skilled labour are the major considerations for cluster formation. The survey seeks this and other relevant information from the MSMEs with the purpose of conceptualizing a concrete Plan of Action for cluster development which may benefit all the stakeholders.
The MSME sector is being accorded more and more importance now at the National level, but unfortunately, we in Uttar Pradesh are still without a separate policy for MSMEs while Tamil Nadu just got it. Salient features of the policy may be referred from this newsletter.

As all of us are well aware that IIA has been striving for the cause for a long time and received some really positive feedback from the Chief Secretary(U.P.) recently so hope is still not lost while we keep up our spirits.
IIA is now a member of the prestigious State Vocational Training Council which was re by Hon. Governor of U.P. in March 2008 - an encouraging development indeed!

Mr. Ashok Seth (CA) from IIA expert panel informs you here on important changes that have been proposed in the Finance Bill 2008 along with the due dates for filing of returns in Income Tax & Service Tax. Moreover, the Central Excise Help Desk located at IIA Bhavan, has also contributed the details of return filings in the Central Excise Department.
On special demand of IIA members, two important GO’s on Exports are being published herein. I hope the readers will find them useful.

We shall be glad of your feedback.