Bhubaneswar: The state government is planning to develop a salt cluster in Ganjam district of coastal Odisha. State additional secretary of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department, BB Behera, said the government will first diagnose problems of salt industries before taking any final steps to develop infrastructure for cluster development.

Behera said the proposal was recently discussed at a meeting chaired by MSME department secretary, GK Dhal, who asked the director of industries to take immediate steps to develop a salt cluster.

Managing Director of Odisha Small Industries Corporation (OSIC), Partha Sarathi Mishra, who was present at the meeting, also suggested the government to frame a salt policy for development of salt industries in the state, official sources said.

The President of salt manufacturers’ association, Sanjay Modi said the development of a salt cluster will help in the upliftment of the industry.

Modi placed a series of demands at the meeting for improvement of salt industries, which included, among others, banning of unauthorized fishing activities in the salt fields of Surla-Sumandi belt. He also asked the department to help salt industries in digging up of borewell for getting sub-soil brine.

He said the government may take steps to provide grant in aid and other incentives to salt industries affected due to cyclone Phailin.                                                                                                                                

Source: Times of India