Reviving Uttarakhand's MSMEs: A Call for Enterprise Development and Sustainable Tourism

The Uttarakhand government is urged to establish Enterprise Development Centres to support MSMEs struggling to survive. Recommendations include developing entrepreneur skillsets, improving infrastructure, and boosting tourism. The state faces challenges in agriculture due to wildlife issues and migration. Significant investments in infrastructure are needed to stimulate local economic growth.

The Uttarakhand government is being urged to create Enterprise Development Centres (EDCs) to support struggling micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state. A study by the MSME Export Promotion Council highlights that around 25% of 58,000 registered MSMEs in Uttarakhand are on the brink of collapse, threatening jobs statewide.

Chairman D.S. Rawat emphasized the need for enhanced technical know-how, managerial skills, and networking solutions to aid these enterprises. He also suggested collaborations with companies possessing innovation infrastructure to address inadequacies in current MSME clusters.

Tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure were identified as key areas with untapped potential. The report recommended tourism-focused packages and significant infrastructure investments, citing a Rs 33,737 crore investment in new projects during 2023-24. Agricultural sustainability remains a challenge, with a call to promote organic farming and engage expert associations to support farmers.