MSME Ministry Developing Comprehensive Policies to Accelerate Sectoral Growth: Joint Secretary

New Delhi, Jul 8 (KNN) The government is bringing policy interventions and new schemes to further strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which play a very important role in the country's growth, according to Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME.

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of a FICCI event, Epao said, “We are bringing in policy intervention. At the same time, we are also bringing in schemes and initiatives which will further strengthen the MSMEs as they play a very important role in the growth of the country.” 

Green Manufacturing and Technology Adoption

Highlighting the ministry's focus on sustainable manufacturing, she noted that the Green Investment and Finance for Transformation (GIFT) Scheme is designed to help MSMEs transition to cleaner energy and greener production processes as India moves towards its 2030 targets.  “We are helping the MSMEs with this," she added

On technology adoption, the secretary said the ministry is supporting Industry 4.0 through its Technology Centres and the National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NIMSME), where the workforce is trained on modern machines and technologies to build an industry-ready workforce.

MSME Export Centre

Epao highlighted that a proposed MSME Export Centre at NIMSME in Hyderabad has already been approved but is yet to be implemented, and is expected to become operational in around two years. The centre would act as a one-stop facility for MSMEs, providing guidance on export documentation, overseas markets, product standards and certification requirements. 

"Although export is a domain of the Commerce Ministry, we also feel that since MSMEs contribute almost 50 per cent of the country's exports, there should be one centre where it should be a go-to place for the MSMEs to learn the documentation, where the markets are available for their products and what standards and certifications are required," the MSME secretary said.

FTAs and BRICS Opportunities

Epao emphasised that the ministry wants MSMEs to leverage opportunities arising from India's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and multilateral platforms such as BRICS. Referring to the BRICS SME Forum held in Agra last month, noting that the deliberations highlighted significant export potential for Indian MSMEs in BRICS member and partner countries. 

She said the ministry is supporting first-time exporters by reimbursing Export Promotion Council (EPCs) registration fees, export insurance premiums and product certification costs to help MSMEs enter international markets, and is collaborating with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on technology-related initiatives. 

The ministry also facilitates MSME participation in international exhibitions and trade fairs abroad, enabling enterprises to showcase products and connect with overseas buyers, the secretary added.

Industry Recommendations Under Review

Epao said, “We collected a whole lot of things and we brought it and then we sifted through those. We put it in several baskets and now we have around 2,000 odd recommendations that are coming from our MSMEs,” clarifying that the exercise has not yet been finalised at the national level and that it is too early to announce any policy decisions based on the recommendations. 

(KNN Bureau)