Kassia to set up centre of excellence for MSMEs

The Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (Kassia), an apex body of micro, small and medium enterprises, has initiated a new project to prepare rural youth industry-ready. The association has embarked on a project to set up a Centre of Excellence and Innovation at Dobaspet, about 40 kms from Bengaluru. “The MSME sector has been the largest employer in the country. However, the rural youth lack skills including soft skills required to get a job. In order to make them industry-ready, we have embarked on this project of setting up a skill development and training centre. We will conduct short-term courses to improve their chances of securing jobs,” said R Prithviraj, former president of Kassia told DH.

The centre, which is coming up on a 4.5 acre land at Avverahalli Industrial Area, Dobaspet 4th Phase in Nelamangala taluk, will have an exhibition centre spread over 50,000 sq. feet, six learning centres (academic block), six technology centres (workshop block), administrative block, food court and other facilities. The cost of setting up the centre is estimated at Rs 33 crore and Kassia has so far mobilised Rs 12 crore, of which Rs 5 crore is in the form of a grant from the state government. Further, the association is looking for an additional grant of Rs 20 crore from the state government.

The focus of the centre of excellence will be on MSME sector. It will focus on skill development training in the areas of CNC Programming and Operation, Basic Electricals and Electronics, Light Industrial Fabrication, Garments and Footwear. Kassia aims to provide training to more than 12,000 rural youth and make them employable by the MSME sector, Prithivraj said.

The centre of excellence is expected to benefit an estimated 6.5 lakh MSME units across the state.

He said the small industries association is also setting up an exclusive international exhibition centre with dedicated trade promotion assistance centre with a focus on exports. It will provide ample scope for MSMEs of the state to showcase their products and technology. The MSMEs will be provided with assistance in marketing, exports and fundraising. The exhibition complex will have an Innovation Assistance Programme that would give ‘breakthrough’ solutions. “We will help young engineering minds to work on live projects that are of concern to the industry and provide them with guidance by institutions and experts,” Prithviraj said.

It will also invite experts and reputed academicians to support this cell in due course. Kassia has already commenced construction of the centre of excellence which will be completed by June this year. In the second phase, it intends to set up a hostel for rural youth.