Mysore/Mysuru: A. Kokila, Branch Manager, National SC-ST Hub to support Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs, has noted that only 0.8 percent of goods are supplied to Central Government Departments from the SC-ST run industries as against the fixed 4 percent.

She was speaking after inaugurating Office of Materials, Equipment, Distribution and Marketing Co-operative Associ-ation of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu Districts SC-ST Industrialists Association at Hebbal Industrial Area in city recently.

Kokila said over 150 Depart-ments come under the Union Government and provision has been made to buy a minimum of 4 percent of products from the SC-ST run industrialists but the supply was just 0.8 percent. The Government has permitted purchase of 20 percent of goods from industries run by general category and three percent from women run industries. The SC-ST community would benefit more if the State Government adopts similar step, she added.

She said the SC-ST entrepreneurs must not only make use of subsidy and loan facility of the State and the Union Governments but also of the Co-operative system for marketing of their products. Provision has been made for Micro and Small Scale Industries to market their products through Co-operative system.

G.R. Akadas, Director, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), said the Union Government, under Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme has cut import of goods and given priority to small scale industries. Through this, the Government wants to aid domestic industries.

MLA L. Nagendra inaugurated the Association’s Production Unit while former MLC Siddaraju opened Marketing Unit and Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman M. Shivanna inaugurated its Office.

D.K. Lingaraju, Joint Director, Department of Industries and Commerce, Vijay Shankar, President, Manjunath, Vice-President and D. Eshwar, Director of Co-operative Society were present.