New Delhi, Dec 22 (KNN) Further revising the norms for the International Cooperation Scheme, Ministry of MSME or organizations under it have been permitted to seek financial assistance to hold global exhibitions, seminars and workshops in India.

These rules were last modified in June this year.

For international conferences or seminars or workshops in India organised by the Ministry or organisations under it, the Administrative Wing of the ministry would seek the approval for the budget from the MSME Minister after consulting the Integrated Finance Wing (IFW).

In a notification, the Ministry of MSME said, “It is notified for information of all concerned that with a view to expanding activities for international cooperation, the existing guidelines of International Cooperation (IC) Scheme issued on 1St June, 2016 have been revised with the approval of Hon'ble Minister for MSME after concurrence of Internal Financial Wing (IFW) of the Ministry of MSME.”

It said the revised guidelines will be effective with immediate effect.

Assistance is provided under the scheme to the eligible applicant organisations for visit and participation in international exhibitions, trade fairs and buyer-seller meets held in foreign countries in order to showcase Indian technologies, expose Indian MSMEs to the latest foreign technologies, access international buyers and sellers and forge business alliances.

The revised guidelines has done away with the norm that name of the persons proposed to travel in the MSME delegation should not be changed after the application is filed.

As per the June notification of guidelines, "once the proposal is approved by the Ministry, the applicant organisation can shorten the delegation as per their requirement but additional participants would not be eligible for any claim".

The full notification can be viewed at:

http://msme.gov.in/WriteReadData/DocumentFile/Revised-IC Scheme%20Guidelines%2016.12.2016_New.PDF