Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 12: The State conclave Leh focusing on coalescing efforts to build better ecosystem for SC-ST and augmenting competencies of SC-ST owned MSMEs was held at Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra, Ti-Suru, Leh today.
The event was organized by NSIC under Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, GoI in association with Forum of SC & ST Legislators and Parliamentarians.
Minister for School Education, Tribal Affair, Haj & Auqaf, Ch Zulfkar Ali was the chief guest on the occasion. Minister for Cooperative and Ladakh Affairs, Chering Dorjey, CEC, LAHDC Dorjey Mutup, Executive Councilors, MLA Leh Nawang Rigzin Jora, Dr PGS Rao, Director MSME, Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, president NSC/ST Legislators and Parliamentarian Forum, Councilors, Ex- MLC Nurbu Gyaltsan, District officers, officers from 14 Corps and ITBP, besides businessmen, young entrepreneurs, school and college students were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering Zulfkar Ali spoke of the unacceptable condition of Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe community in the country since independent with no improvement in their social status despite constitutional reforms and acts. He said that social stigma and lack of political will have been the reasons for SC/STs not getting connected to mainstream. He appreciated the efforts of Government for the upliftment of SC/ST communities. He stressed the need to focus on MSMEs and start with encouraging entrepreneurs on priority.
The Minister for Cooperative and Ladakh Affairs, Chering Dorjey stressed on labour intensive jobs considering the unemployment status in the country. He said that it’s the right time for Ladakh to focus on MSME.
CEC LAHDC Leh D Mutup and MLA Leh Rigzin Jora also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Dr Rao gave a detail description about National SC/ST Hub scheme that was launched by Prime Minister in October, 2016. He said that the main objective of this scheme is to create opportunity for the aspiring entrepreneurs from SC/ST communities and provide them with a platform to start small or medium scale business. National SC/ST Hub Leh directory of MSMEs was also unveiled by the chief guest Ch Zulfkar Ali on the occasion.