GUWAHATI, Aug 25 - As part of its grassroots level development initiative, the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) here today organised a brainstorming workshop on the idea of �One Panchayat One Cluster� in Assam in order to explore a plausible approach for identifying potential clusters at the gram panchayat level.
Inaugurating the workshop, Manoj K Das, Director of IIE, spoke about the various models being successfully followed in the East Asian countries in relation to the concept of �One Panchayat One Cluster� model. He stressed on the need of developing a similar model focusing mainly on manufacturing and agro-based industries in rural areas of Assam.
The session was chaired by Dr Jayanta Madhav, senior economist. He appreciated the efforts of the IIE for coming up with the unique idea of rural development by considering the panchayat as the basis for undertaking cluster development initiatives.
Highlighting the objective of the workshop, SM Deka, assistant faculty member of the IIE, talked about considering a rapid approach for collection of data and identifying and resource mapping of the potential cluster. He also emphasised on the need to make the products of the cluster more market-friendly and competitive.
Experts who attended the workshop unanimously agreed upon conducting a comprehensive resource mapping at village level based on the available sources of information. In order to have a preliminary database for promotion of �One Panchayat One Cluster� a rapid cluster survey mapping at block and panchayat level based on potential economic livelihood was discussed at length.
AK Baruah, associate faculty member of the IIE, in his concluding remarks stated that the IIE will be coming up with a concept note on �One Panchayat One Cluster� elaborating the methodology and plan of action for carrying out and identifying potential livelihood cluster.
