Given the status of the micro and small enterprise sector in North East India, the future growth and sustainability of this sector in the region calls for a proper utilisation of the available resources for its growth. Moreover, with globalisation as a challenge, growth of Clusters can not only lower the cost of production and make the firms produce at a competitive end but can also give a thrust on accessing a wider market with state of art technology resulting in better quality products.

Micro, small and medium enterprise clusters are being developed to enhance production base and improve competitiveness, identify new markets, trigger growth, attain economies of scale, create new employment opportunities, and address regional economic imbalances. In this direction, DC-MSME, Government of India has mandated IIE to set up a Regional Resource Centre (RRC) on cluster development at the institute’s premises to propagate cluster development approach in North East India spatially more earnestly. The RRC has its Nodal Office in the premises of IIE, Guwahati with state centres in rest of the seven states across the North Eastern region with a holistic approach toward capacity building, providing handholding support and devising policy interventions in sustainable cluster development.

The RRC would act as a Resource Centre on Cluster development in the North Eastern region to eventually galvanize economic growth in the micro, small and medium enterprises. The Centre can provide platforms to different cluster actors to come together at regular intervals, to share their experiences and to take stock of their development interventions. Such interactions, it is deemed would help create a repository of knowledge of best practices and help to develop a comprehensive Vision and Blue Print for development of clusters in the region

The Regional Resource Centre on Cluster Development would eventually play a pioneering role as a Think Tank for micro, small and medium enterprises and offer valuable technical assistance to cluster units in the North Eastern Region. Apart from benchmarking best practices in this field, the Centre would also endeavour to create new knowledge in the field of cluster development. It would sensitize policy makers and planners to evolve an enabling environment and policy framework under which clusters of globally competitive MSMEs can thrive.

Thus far, a database has been developed under RRC pertaining to various aspects of the eight states like general information, geography, demography and economy, sector wise industrial scenario, financial infrastructure, industrial policy etc. These would help in formulating and implementing various cluster development initiatives for each of the eight states of NE India.

Activities of RRC ' 2009

News Letters of RRC (Jan-Mar'2009)

News Letters of RRC (Apr-September'2009)

 STATE RRC CENTRES

Assam

Nagaland

Tripura

Mizoram

Arunachal Pradesh

Meghalaya

Manipur

Sikkim

                                          ASSAM                                    

 The Contact Address of the nodal office:

           Place            :           Basistha Chariali, Lalmati, Guwahati

            District        :           Kamrup          

            State            :            Assam

            PIN             :           781029

            Telephone   :            +91-361-2300840, 2302646

            Email:          :           iieindia1@bsnl.in

  Activities

: 1.Three diagnostic studies have been conducted in the state of Assam till now and the same have been approved by the Ministry of MSME, GoI for implementation. They include

1. Dhamdhama Handloom Cluster, Nalbari
2. Bagulamari Jute Craft Cluster, Dhubri
3. Pyraranga Eri Cluster, Boko, Kamrup

2. The Sipajhar Handloom Cluster, Darrang has been identified by the Ministry of MSME, GoI for conducting a diagnostic study.
3. Other cluster proposals received: Golaghat and Nazira Handloom Clusters

NAGALAND

The Contact Address of the nodal office:

           Name of the co-ordinator  : Shri Ratul Kumar Das

           Place                  :          H No: 131, Duncan Basti           

           District                :           Dimapur

           State                   :           Nagaland

           PIN                    :           797112

          Telephone            :            03862231736   

           Email                   :         ratulkumar84@gmail.com

Activities

  1.The following cluster proposals have been sent to the Ministry of MSME, GoI for necessary approval for conducting diagnostic studies:

1. Wokha Passion Fruit Clusters
2. Zunheboto Passion Fruit Cluster

2. The areas identified in Nagaland for cluster development are – bee keeping, food processing specially in pineapples and passion fruits, medicinal plants, tea etc.

TRIPURA

The Contact Address of the nodal office:

Name of the co-ordinator    :  Subrata Biswas 

Place      :    ITI Road, Indranagar (Near Sanatan Kalibari)

District   :    Agartala, West Tripura

State      :   Tripura

 PIN          796001

 Telephone:           038123567565/09863059609  

  Email           sbiswas101@gmail.com

  Activities

1)                   The following cluster proposal has been sent to Ministry for necessary approval for conducting diagnostic studies

·         Rani Bazaar Rice Mill Cluster.

   2) The areas/sectors identified for developing clusters in Tripura are - cane and bamboo, handicraft, handloom, brick kiln, rice mills etc

MIZORAM

The Contact Address of the nodal office:

Name of the co-ordinator   :           Lalduwahami Lusai   

            Place                                :           A-16, Upper Republic

            District                              :           Aizawl

            State                                  :           Mizoram

            PIN                                    :           796001

          Telephone     :           03892301929/09436403358            

Email:         :           ateii08@gmail.com

Activities

1)      Two diagnostic studies have been conducted in the state of Mizoram till now and the same has been approved by the Ministry of MSME for implementation. They include

·       Baktawng Wood Carpentry Cluster

·         Bairabi Bamboo Cluster

2)      The Selling Bamboo Cluster as been identified by the Ministry of MSME     for conducting diagnostic study.

3)          Other cluster proposals received:        Silk – Durtlang,Food Processing –    Hnahlan, Garment/ Furniture - Lunglei

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

The Contact Address of the state office:

            Name of the co-ordinator      :          

            Place               :         Udyog Sadan, DIC, Hanagar

            District             :       Itanagar                      

            State               :         Arunachal Pradesh

            PIN                :         791110

           Telephone     :          

           Email:                       

Activities

1. Two diagnostic studies have been conducted in the state of Arunachal Pradesh till now. They include

1. Dirang Food Processing Cluster
2. Tawang Carpet Making Cluster

The Tawang Carpet Making cluster has been approved by the Ministry of MSME, GoI for implementation.

2.       The other proposals that have come up in the state include the following:
   1. Handloom and Handicraft Cluster, Lower Subansiri District, Ziro
   2. Cane & Bamboo Cluster, Upper Subansiri District, Daporijo
   3. Khonsa Wood Carving Cluster, Tirap
   4. Bamboo Based Industry – Changlang, Tezu, Namsai

MEGHALAYA

       The Contact Address of the state office:

            Name of the co-ordinator      :           Mr. Hemanta Rabha

            Place                                        :           Nongpoh

            District                                     :           Ri-Bhoi

            State                                        :           Meghalaya

            PIN                                          :           793102            

            Telephone     03638232348/ 09436305833                        

           Email:             r_hemant2001@yahoo.co.in

The activities till now:

1)      The following diagnostic study has been conducted in the state of Meghalaya till now and the same has been approved by the Ministry of MSME for implementation.

·         Umden Eri Cluster

    2) The other proposals that have come up include the following:

                  Food Processing (Pineapple)- Nongkhrah

                  Pottery                                    - Chaipani

                  Black Smithy                         - East Khasi Hills

3) The areas identified in Meghalaya for cluster development are - pottery and food processing sectors, especially pineapples in West and East Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills, pickles in Ri Bhoi, honey and honey products in West Khasi Hills, and cane and bamboo products in East Khasi Hills. Handicraft products of Mawsynram area also on the queue. 

MANIPUR

            The Contact Address of the state office:

            Name of the co-ordinator      :           Kokhen Chingtham

            Place: R.K Dhiren Building , Nambam  Chuthek,Nongmeibung

            District                                     :           Imphal  

            State                                        :           Manipur

            PIN                                          :           795001

           Telephone                            0352440881/09863059609  

           Email                        :           kokcom3@yahoo.co.in

            The activities till now:

1)         The Imphal East Handloom Cluster is being successfully implemented and it is in the third year of its implementation.

2)         Two diagnostic studies have been conducted in the state of Manipur till now and the same has been approved by the Ministry of MSME for implementation. They include

i)                     Khangabak Kauna Cluster

ii)                    Greater Imphal  Jwellery Cluster

3)         The other proposals that have come up include the following:

Andro Pottery – Ukhrul

Turn Stone       – Bishenpur

Bamboo craft  – Patsoi

Bamboo shoot  - Bishenpur

4) The areas identified in Manipur for cluster development are - turn stone in Bishenpur, pottery in Ukhrul, bamboo craft at Patsoi in Imphal West, bamboo shoot in Bishenpur and Andro Pottery in Ukhrul

SIKKIM

The Contact Address of the state office:

            Name of the co-ordinator      :           Sudip Mandal

            Place:           Manjushree Niwas (Near Krishi Bhawan)

31 A NH, Amdo Golai, P.O. Tadong

            District                         Gangtak         

            State                            (East) Sikkim

            PIN                             737102

            Telephone                    09851257727

           Email:                           sudip_sibin@rediffmail.com

The activities till now:

1) The following cluster proposals has been received till now,

·         Handmade paper with bamboo - Assam Linzey

·         Broom Binding - Malbasey, West Sikkim

·         Food Processing (Ginger and turmeric powder) - Rakdong Tintek

 2) Potential sectors in the state that have been identified to be taken up as clusters are - ginger & turmeric processing, broom making, handicrafts and handmade paper.