– Rekha Khanal
Spokesperson of Bhartiya Janata Party, Chairman of Assam Small Industries Development Corporation, Mr Kishore Upadhyay is a man of many hats. Mr Upadhyay holds an interesting educational background from completing his post- graduation in History to pursuing LLB and thereafter taking up a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, to a master’s in LLM, all from Gauhati University. Similarly, his career graph is also of a success from an advocate in Gauhati High Court to Chairman of ASIDC.
He took his seat as the chairman of ASIDC on 15th December 2021 and has been providing assistance to small industries and fellow entrepreneurs since then. Just in a year, he has managed to establish a good reputation amongst his people as a visionary leader.
The Assam Small Industries Development Corporation (ASIDC) is a government-owned corporation established by the Government of Assam in 1964. Its objective is to promote and develop small-scale industries in the state of Assam, India.
ASIDC provides various services and facilities to entrepreneurs and small-scale industries, such as technical consultancy, financial assistance, supply of raw materials, marketing support, and infrastructure development. It also provides incubation facilities for startups and supports rural industries through the Rural Industries Project.
The corporation operates through its network of district and sub-divisional offices and has a wide range of products and services to offer to entrepreneurs, including financial assistance, land acquisition, project identification, and technology upgradation.
A bridge between government schemes and public :
The Government is trying to create many schemes and proposals to help people from all the fields and backgrounds. But not always it reaches the needy. So, to fill the gap between this, it is important to question the people in charge to have a healthy discussion and use their designed services.
There also lies confusion among people on how to avail the benefits that the government is providing and the steps to procure it. So, let us enrol ourselves and try to understand what goes inside the ASIDC, from the Chairman himself.
From a layman’s perspective, what are your duties and daily tasks as a Chairman of ASIDC?
Chronologically, Chairman is the head of the institution. There are 11 Directors including me. As the Chairman I’m responsible for overseeing the management and administration of the corporation. I work closely with other members of the board of directors to develop and implement policies and strategies to promote the growth and development of small-scale industries in the state. Below Chairman, is the Managing Director. MD is tasked with all the executive duties.
My daily tasks include formulating policies and strategies for the development of small industries and coordinating with the government to ensure that the said policies are in line with state economic development goals. Apart from that, my routine also involves managing the corporation’s finances efficiently and effectively.
The Chairman of the Assam Small Industries Development Corporation (ASIDC) plays a crucial role in guiding and supervising the activities of the organization. What is your vision and mission?
My vision is aligned with the Government’s vision or the vision that is parked upon me as a Chairman. Personally, I have never dreamt to be in this position. Before taking charge as a Chairman, I didn’t have any agenda regarding this institution. It is only after I carried this huge responsibility on my shoulder, that I am working towards its advancement. Now I am pinning my hopes on all those industries that are under ASIDC and fulfilling their needs. 90% of industries in Assam are small-scale industries and 40% GDP that India covers are from small-scale industries. That’s why it is a vast subject to look upon.
Alongside my duty, I always try to spread awareness about ASIDC. I feel people do not know much about it and so they are lacking behind to squeeze its benefit to commence or flourish their businesses. Before starting a business, no matter how small it is, it requires a lot of knowledge on how to start and run it. What are the required documents, where to bring the raw material from, where to sell the product, etc are important factors to know before starting their businesses. Because of a lack of awareness, people fall into potholes. If I can provide the required assistance and support to these industries and if by that they could earn their bread, I think I will call it a success.
Awareness is vital for a successful campaign. More the awareness, the better the people will understand it. What industries are small-scale industries?
Any industry whose turn-over is under 10cr to 50cr can be called a small-scale industry.
Isn’t the number too high for industries here? It is. Here, it is difficult for an industry to even make a 10cr turnover. The average number in the state is between 5lakh to just 10lakh. There are very less industries in Assam that make 50cr turn-over. Most of industries in Assam are small industries.
Does ASIDC support all kinds/ natures of business?
Small-scale industries can be any business from parlours to crafts to grocery stores. Some people might want to start a dairy business, ice-creams, chocolates, some may this and that. They can be businesses of any nature. ASIDC also helps startups in finance, if required. Assam, like any other state, has seen a rise in the number of entrepreneurs in recent years. These entrepreneurs are starting businesses in various fields such as technology, agriculture, food processing, handicrafts, tourism, and more. The rising state of entrepreneurship can bring many benefits to a region or country, such as job creation, economic growth, and innovation. When entrepreneurs are successful in their ventures, they can create new products, services, and industries that can benefit the community and society as a whole. But often the budding entrepreneurs are mystified about how to start the process or how to take the government’s help. Can you shed some light on that?
We are eager to support. But before doing that we must foresee:
1. The intention- When a person comes to us for help, we first check the person’s intention in terms of business. Whether he is honest or is his business a serious one and not a deception.
2. Planning- A person must come with a proper business plan. One has to be clear with his business operation; and if asked he should be able to tell about his business management.
3. Relation with the bank- Bank always checks the credibility of its customer before availing of any loan. And so, one must keep and develop a positive relationship with the bank, especially with the people who are into business.
Under PMEGP (Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme), any startup can withdraw upto 10lakhs without any subsidy. So, the problem of capital is also disbursed. Even with 1lakh rupees, one can start a business easily.
After being authentic in the above points, one can directly visit the office and talk to the concerned officer over there. People from other districts can go to the ‘District Industry and Commerce’ office. Nowadays the government is Pro-industry, meaning the government want the industrial sector to flow and grow higher.
The Assam Small Industries Development Corporation has been instrumental in promoting the growth of small-scale industries in the state and has contributed significantly to the region’s economic development.
