ROLE OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIAL UNITS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHHATTISGARH ECONOMY: AN OVERVIEW OF TRENDS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

This study investigates the vital role of small-scale industrial units (SSIs) in Chhattisgarh's economic development, with a
particular focus on Bilaspur district. SSIs are crucial for creating jobs, utilizing community resources, and maintaining traditional skills
with a low financial and technological requirement. With the help of government measures and a rise in both local and export demand, SSIs have demonstrated resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic's negative consequences, which disrupted supply chains and decreased demand. The study evaluates the performance of SSIs from 1994 to 2010 using secondary data from the District Industries Centre of Bilaspur. The data indicates that registered units are growing at a favourable rate, despite ongoing operational and financial difficulties. The results show that SSIs have made substantial contributions to employment and investment, with considerable annual changes. The study emphasizes how critical it is to strengthen SSI support, including increased market access, faster regulatory procedures, better financing methods, and improved infrastructure and training initiatives. These actions are essential to guaranteeing the long-term sustainability of the SSIs and enhancing their contribution to the economic growth of the area. The study comes to the conclusion that SSIs, especially during the post-pandemic recovery phase, can make a substantial contribution to Chhattisgarh's economic growth if given the right support and strategic investments.