KASSIA to invest ₹33 crore to set up innovation centre for MSMEs

Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) is building the KASSIA Centre of Excellence and Innovation on 4.5 acres of land at Dobbespet, on the outskirts of the city, as part of its platinum jubilee year.

The KASSIA CoE, coming up at an investment of ₹33 core, will function as a transformative hub for medium, small, and micro enterprises (MSMEs), offering cutting-edge facilities, specialised training programmes, and research opportunities tailored to their unique needs, said M.G. Rajagopal, president, KASSIA.

“The centre’s strategic importance lies in its potential to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and provide a collaborative space for growth and learning,” he said while addressing the media here on Thursday.

The centre also would feature an exhibition complex to enable the display of products/services of MSMEs in the State. “This will greatly fulfil a critical requirement of our micro and small-scale industries. This facility is apart from other cutting-edge services, including skill development, training, and mentorship of small entrepreneurs,” he added.

According to Mr. Rajagopal, the centre will be inaugurated in April-May next year. Started in 1949, KASSIA currently has an MSME membership of over 12,600 and 130 affiliated associations in its fold.

More industrial layouts

Commenting on the state of MSMEs in the State, Mr. Rajagopal observed it was ironic that in a progressive State like Karnataka, over 90% of enterprises, particularly in the MSME segment, operated from private industrial areas with inadequate infrastructure and facilities.

“KASSIA would like to pursue the development of industrial layouts in the private sector for the benefit of SMEs. We will work with the government in this direction to secure land under Sec. 109 for such industrial estate development. These estates can be developed either in the private domain or on PPP mode,” he suggested.

Published - November 28, 2024 12:09 am IST