The board members include the Principal Secretary (Industries), Secretary (Small Industries), Industries Commissioner, Regional Director of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and representatives of different chambers of commerce and industries and industrial associations in the state.

A senior official in the state Industries Department told Newsline that the main objective of the board is to ensure an overall development of MSMEs across Gujarat and resolve the problems facing this sector.

The board will also help solve the financial problems confronting the micro and small industrial units.

Besides, the board will guide and encourage MSMEs in areas of export and marketing of their products. It will also ensure that the sector is provided adequate infrastructure facilities, the official said. The new advisory body will also help organise technical training programmes for MSMEs in the state, he added.

According to the Socio-Economic Review for 2007-08, there are over 3.12 lakh registered small scale industries (SSIs) in Gujarat as on September 2006. A total of 8,100 units have been registered as MSMEs.