Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on May 15 said the economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced by the central government will benefit the MSME segment of the state, which forms the backbone of the industrial sector in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said, “The economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will immensely benefit the MSME sector of the state. The MSME owners must ensure that they derive maximum benefit and incentive under the centre’s package.”
He informed that there are over one lakh MSMEs in the state, providing direct and indirect employment to 25 lakh people.
“The MSMEs form 99.9 per cent of the industries in the state, with the industrial sector contributing 39 per cent of the state’s GDP. Hence, the MSMEs have a major role in our economy,” he added.
Sonowal further underlined the role of the MSMEs in the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ announced the prime minister, which will witness a major boost to the local manufactures, adding, “Production, procurement and marketing has to be ensured.”
He further said the state government was still in the process to assessing the number of migrant workers who could permanently return to the state post-lockdown and was drawing out a plan to engage them in various sectors, especially the sectors that have been recommended as possible employment generation sectors by an economic expert panel constituted by the state.
The chief minister said the state has incurred daily loss of Rs 1,000 crore during the lockdown as per a survey by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and expressed optimism that the economic package will help the state to bounce back.
