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New Delhi, June 28 Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has identified eight clusters under three sub sectors for the first phase launch of the market-linked business development services (BDS) intervention in the current fiscal.

This was stated by Mr Harish Gurubux, Executive Director, SIDBI, at a workshop on ‘BDS in SME Clusters’ here on Wednesday.

The eight clusters are Pune and Mysore (fruits and vegetables), Badohi, Panipat and Alleppey (for carpet and floor coverings) and Kanpur, Kolkata and Chennai (leather). BDS intervention is relatively a new concept in India, said SIDBI officials.

BDS intervention in clusters is designed to strengthen SMEs access to various kinds of advisory services to help them operate efficiently and grow their businesses. Under the SME Financing and Development project (World Bank-led multi agency project), being implemented by SIDBI, the Technical Assistance component of the Department for International Development envisages intervention in identified clusters through BDS for SMEs.