‘New Industrial and Investment Policy-2011’ of Haryana government gives state’s MSMEs a new life by embracing the cluster approach. The number of MSMEs in Haryana is estimated at 80,000. The MSMEs are victims of neglect and have been adversely affected by the slowdown.

The state government is assisting MSMEs to become globally competitive, provide e-governance system and develop clusters. This will undoubtedly provide the option of institutional support to industrial units. The industrial policy of 2005 opened the provision of a cluster-based approach. But no concrete roadmap has yet been laid for progress in this direction.

But this time officials are emphasizing that they have framed a roadmap to enable them progress in the cluster based approach. Cluster development is possible as 10-12 sectors are brought under the purview. Financial support from MSME ministry for the small units is required for the purpose.

Product design and development, laboratory testing, quality certification, effluent treatment and such other facilities are required for cluster development. Cluster approach is supposed to take care of facilities such as product designing and marketing networks as individual SMEs do not have the needed resources to invest in the facilities.

Measures have been taken to establish clusters for scientific instruments at Ambala, Handloom industry at Panipat and light engineering goods at Faridabad. An e-governance for efficient service delivery and development of content –rich portal for disseminating information to MSME have been planned out.