Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak said here on Thursday that the state government is committed to promote MSME units for which it has made changes in its policies.

Addressing the ‘Uttar Pradesh MSME Conclave’ organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) here on the occasion of International MSME Day, Pathak said that MSME products are an integral part of our lives.

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MSMEs are the lifeline of not only the state but the country’s economy at large and to promote them, the state government has made many changes in its policies, he said.

Pathak further said, “Wherever industrialisation had not yet taken place in the state, be it Purvanchal, Bundelkhand or Central UP, we have also worked to take MSMEs forward. The government has created a conducive environment for business in the state.”

Congratulating ASSOCHAM for organising the MSME Conclave, Pathak said that his government stands committed to the MSMEs. If there are any suggestions from this conference, the government would change the policies of our government and work together to take the state of Uttar Pradesh forward.

Stressing the need for reforms in the agriculture sector, the deputy chief minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised natural farming and called for less use of pesticides in farming.

He said excessive use of pesticides in agriculture reduced the fertility of the soil and the production of pulses and oilseeds has declined.

UP Minister of State for Minority Affairs Danish Azad Ansari called on the youth to become self-reliant in large numbers and develop the mindset to take up jobs and also become job givers.

“UP is the biggest state in India. There are a lot of young people here. It is important that the youth get jobs in government departments or private companies but at the same time become job givers. They should think about this too,” he said.

The minister of state for minority welfare pointed out that the government has implemented several revolutionary policies to promote MSMEs and Startups. At present, every district has a conducive environment to start startups and MSME units.

Referring to the ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) scheme of the State Government, Shri Ansari said that the ODOP scheme has imbibed the spirit of UP and local talent has gone ahead to make every district special.

Stating that more and more industries are being encouraged in rural areas through ODOP, he said that 60-70 per cent of the population of Uttar Pradesh lives in villages. The government has linked these industries to ODOP. Lakhs of industries are now associated with ODOP and are furthering their business by taking advantage of it. The reality is that economic growth is not possible without the growth of MSMEs.

Principal Secretary of Planning and Programme Implementation, Shri Alok Kumar made a presentation on boosting the economic development of Uttar Pradesh through MSMEs.

Kumar said that MSMEs are the backbone of the UP economy. By strengthening the key elements that drive the level and quality of SGDP, we can develop core and enabling areas. He spoke of enabling sectors such as energy, health, infrastructure, urban development, and education and skill development.

He said that we are trying to find out where there are opportunities for MSMEs in every sector.