Industries minister Bhim Singh takes a tour of the Mahila Udyog Mela in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

The state government on Thursday assured all help to promote women entrepreneurs.

On the inauguration of the Bihar Mahila Udyog Sangh’s five-day fair, industries minister Bhim Singh said: “The work being done by the women entrepreneurs is really good and should be promoted well. I will also talk to the officials of the proposed Export Promotion Council so that these works could be promoted on a larger level.” The minister visited the stalls set up by women entrepreneurs and was all praise for their work.

The industries departme- nt is mulling over a plan to export handicraft and handloom items to other states and nations.

For this, it has planned to revive the Bihar State Export Corporation, fill it with handicraft and handloom experts and rename it Export Promotion Council.

In reply to Bihar Mahila Udyog Sangh president Pushpa Chopra’s query on whether they would be provided a bigger arena to exhibit their talents and set up stalls, the minister assured the participants of arranging a bigger space for organising the fair. “I would discuss the issue with the chief minister,” he said.

Pushpa said: “Bihar Mahila Udyog Sangh has been organising this fair for many years but no permanent space has been given to us.”

She said a space of 1,500sqft would be enough for the organisers and claimed they would pay one-fourth of the land cost from its own kitty while the remaining could come from the government in the form of aid.

She added: “A permanent space would help organise meetings.” She also stressed the need of organising buyer-seller meets every year.