Prakash N. Raikar, President, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA), recently announced the decision to set up 5 skill-development centres in Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Belgaum and Mangalore in collaboration with the local associations. Talking to presspersons Raikar said funds to set up the centre were available under various central government schemes. However, KASSIA members would be mobilising 30 per cent of the funds required for setting up the centres. There is an acute shortage of skilled manpower in almost all trades and it is hurting the capacity utilisation of the small-scale industries sector. Such vocational centres will help in regulating regular flow of varied skilled manpower and ensure continuity in skill output.
KASSIA has also done preparatory work on signing a memorandum of understanding with Kuvempu University for offering a management courses for entrepreneurs. “The initial plan is to offer courses in entrepreneur development, business management skills, succession planning, industrial engineering and modernisation. Most probably we will launch the courses in January 2012,” says Raikar. KASSIA’s Industrial Infrastructure Cooperative Society with 200 members has been established near Nelamangala, Bangalore, on 50 acres of land. To address the problems of the small-scale industry (SSI) sector, the association had urged the Government to conduct industrial adalats for SSIs and subsequently the Government had agreed to hold eight industrial adalats during the year.
