Guwahati, Dec. 1: Assam industries and commerce minister Pradyut Bordoloi has called upon the officials of the industry department to don the mantle of facilitators and not merely engage themselves in the disbursement of loans and subsidies.

Speaking at the launch of the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) in Assam at a function here today, Bordoloi said there has to be a paradigm shift in the functioning of the industries department.

“The department is basically known only for disbursing loans and subsidies. They have to don the role of facilitators,” the minister said.

He said the three public sector enterprises under the industry department — Assam Small Industries Development Corporation Limited, Assam Industrial Development Corporation Limited and Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited — have been asked to prepare business plans.

The Centre has approved the introduction of a new credit-linked subsidy programme called the PMEGP by merging the two schemes — Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana and Rural Employment Generation Programme — for generation of employment opportunities through establishment of micro enterprises in rural as well as urban areas.

The scheme will be administered by the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises while the Khadi Village Industries Commission has been assigned the role of a nodal agency for implementation.

At the state level, the scheme will be implemented through the state KVIC directorates, state khadi and village industry boards, district industry centres and banks.

By the end of 2008-09, government subsidy will flow to the tune of Rs 27.03 crore and will provide employment to 19,000 people in Assam.

The ASIDC has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Tata Teleservices Limited.

Under the memorandum, Tata Teleservices Limited will seek, share and offer exclusive knowledge, competence and support to each other, their constituents and partners, and develop a mutually rewarding and successful relationship.

Inaugurating the scheme, chief minister Tarun Gogoi said the state was going for industrialisation of the rural areas, as the development of towns alone would not be enough to bring about overall development of the state.

He said an employment generation council would soon be set up for liasing with many departments.