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Mr. Carlos Magirinos, Director General, UNIDO, Vienna, who is currently on an official visit to India, called on Shri Mahabir Prasad, Minister for Small Scale Industries and Agro and Rural Industries here today. The on-going programmes of Ministry of SSI being implemented in collaboration with UNIDO were discussed in detail and areas of future cooperation explored.
During the past five years, the Ministry of SSI has launched five major sectoral programmes in collaboration with UNIDO covering machine tools, hand tools, toys, locks and dimensional stone industries in India. These programmes are being implemented for enhancing the competitiveness of these industries at international level. The strategy of implementation consists of technology-led interventions, coupled with market development, capacity building of producers and sustainability.
DG, UNIDO expressed his delight over the initiatives taken by the Ministry of SSI in these programmes and highlighted the important achievements so far. Shri Prasad, while expressing his satisfaction over the results, drew the attention of Mr. Magirinos to the demand of other similar SSI and ARI sectors and product manufacturers for initiating similar intervention for them.
It was agreed upon that the Ministries of SSI & ARI and the UNIDO would identify new products and sectors for initiating promotional programmes for Indian SSIs and agro and rural industries. It was also felt that the valuable experience gathered so far in technology diffusion and support to the SSI sector should be documented and could be shared with other developing countries. The possibility of establishing an International Centre for this purpose was also discussed.
MG/ KK
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