SAS Naagr, May 13, 2025: A stakeholders’ consultation meeting was successfully held at the District Industries Centre (DIC), Mohali (SAS Nagar) to discuss the proposed establishment of an Extension Centre under the Ministry of MSME’s scheme, 'Establishment of New Technology Centres/Extension Centres.' The meeting aimed to sensitise stakeholders about the Ministry’s initiative and gather valuable inputs for setting up the Extension Centre in Mohali.
The session was chaired by Arshjit Singh, General Manager, DIC, Mohali, who emphasized the importance of skilling the workforce and enhancing technical knowledge at the shopfloor level to operate modern machinery effectively. He highlighted that the proposed Extension Centre at Government Polytechnic College, Khunimajra, would bridge the existing skill gaps and contribute to workforce development in the district.
The consultation witnessed active participation from key stakeholders, including district resource persons, industry extension officers, officials from Punjab Skill Development Mission, Punjab Development Corporation, representatives from CTR Ludhiana, CII - Mohali Zone, Mohali Industrial Association, Chanalon Industries Association and local entrepreneurs.
Mr Anijit Bhattacharya, Manager, Grant Thornton Bharat, introduced the scheme to the participants and elaborated on the roles of IRCON International and CTR Ludhiana in implementing the initiative in Punjab. He informed that the Extension Centre in Mohali would operate under the Hub and Spoke model, with CTR Ludhiana as the Hub and the Mohali centre as the Spoke.
Notably, the Ministry of MSME has already established 33 Technology Centres across India, and under the current scheme, plans to set up 20 new Technology Centres and 100 Extension Centres. The Mohali Extension Centre is expected to provide critical production support services to MSMEs and deliver industry-oriented training to both new and existing workers, thus making local MSMEs more competitive, productive, and innovative.