DW BUREAU / CHANDIGARH Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Tuesday offered all support and cooperation to the young entrepreneurs for setting up their units under the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the State and said that the State Government has identified 56 clusters of various categories to be set up in all 22 districts of the State which would benefit about 70,000 MSMEs in the State. He said that the Government would also ensure that the functioning of existing MSMEs in the State are not affected due to COVID-19. Chief Minister Lal was interacting with the beneficiaries of Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) during a Webinar organized by the newly created department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Haryana here today. He said that the State Government has reduced the power tariff for MSMEs of up to 20 KW to Rs 4.75 per unit in C and D blocks in the State. While describing India as a country of Youth, he exhorted the youth of the State to come forward and set up units of MSMEs in the State while assuring all necessary clearances in minimum possible time. He said that online clearances pertaining to 17 different departments are provided through the Haryana Enterprises Promotion Centre in just 45 days. Apart from this, facility of deemed clearances have also been made for the benefit of entrepreneurs. He said that MSMEs play a vital role not only in increasing the economy of the country and State but also provide large scale employment to the youth. The Chief Minister asked the youth to boost start-ups and stand-up culture in the State and said that through venturing into the MSME sector, they could become job giver rather than job seeker. He said that Haryana has made a huge progress in terms of start-ups and standup registration as more than 8000 registration including 4194 start-ups and 4119 standup have so far been made in the State which is much more than the registration made in the neighbouring state of Punjab. Apart from this, a loan amounting to Rs 868 crore has been provided for standups in the State. While referring to COVID-19, he said as now industrial operation has resumed in the State, as many as 38.13 lakh workers have returned to work in 56,000 industrial units of the State. Similarly, the revenue generation of the State has also increased in the last few months. The State Government received GST in June, 2020 which is equal to the amount received in the corresponding period of last year. Apart from this, the electricity consumption has also increased to 80 per cent in June 2020 and it is expected to be increased to 100 per cent in the month of July, 2020, which reflects the industrial sector has come to normalcy. The Chief Minister said that Haryana Udhyam Memorandum (HUM) portal has been launched aimed at bringing all types of enterprises registered in the state on a single platform. He said that it will provide a unique identification number to all enterprises - shops, MSMEs, large and mega industries to enable permissions and services from the government to be provided in an integrated manner. The benefit of any commercial or industrial policy in the future would be given on the basis of the HUM number; he said adding that 215 industries have so far made their registration on this portal. He also exhorted the entrepreneurs to avail the maximum benefit of loan of Rs 50,000 under the Mudra Yojana (Shishu Category). He said that loan would be provided to the beneficiaries on nominal interest of 5 per cent adding that five lakh people would be covered under this scheme. He said that the State Government has also started the scheme for the revival of MSMEs under which on the loan of Rs 20,000 per worker, interest of 8 per cent would be paid by the State Government for six months./ DW bureau / (editor@dailyworld.in)