Srikakulam: Blessed with minerals, but lacks industries

Srikakulam: Srikakulam district is endowed with plenty of natural resources and is blessed with features such as seacoast and mineral resources that are essential for industries to take root. But the district lacks adequate industrial ecosystem, forcing locals to migrate to other districts and States in search of employment. Therefore, to put the industrial growth in the district on a fast track, the State government should create more industrial infrastructure and offer incentives, say local entrepreneurs.

According to official data, the total industrial units in Srikakulam district are 5,893. The total investments that all these units invested is to the tune of Rs 6,741.45 crore. These industrial units provide employment to 63,675 people across the district.

Out of the total industrial units, 31 are large and mega units set up with an investment of Rs 5,821.62 crore. These units provide employment to 19,348 people. Most of these 31 large and mega units are located in Ranastalam, Laveru and Etcherla mandals in Etcherla segment. Besides, the district is home to 5,862 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The investment that went into these industrial units totals to Rs 919.83 crore and these units provide employment to as many as 44,327 persons across the district.

Large and mega industrial units are dedicated to jute, pharmaceuticals, pesticide, sugar, pistons, piston rings, craft paper manufacture, besides beach sand mineral plants that are engage in extraction of minerals from sand.

MSME units in the district include, rice mills, granite mining, units engaged in cutting and polishing activities, stone crushers, cashew processing, fishnets making, paper plates and cups making, making of poultry feed, cotton ginning, electrical poles manufacturing, cement bricks, food processing, drinking water units, metal works, coir products units, and saw mills. The district has conditions conducive to the industry, such as long seacoast, rivers, fertile lands. Besides, natural resources such as mines and mineral deposits are available in abundance.

With an aim to promote ease of doing business in the district, the government offered permissions since the year 2018 to 365 units in MSME sector which are to be set up with a total investment of Rs 300.52 crore. Those units would provide employment to the 2,023 people. Of the proposed units, only 104 units started in this sector so far. Remaining 261 units in the MSME sector are yet to see the light of the day, General Manager for District Industrial Centre (DIC), B GopalaKrishna told Bizz Buzz.

We need to train the youth as skilled employees to run these units under the MSME sector, Gopalakrishna said.