Bhubaneswar, Mar 6 (KNN) The funds for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department will be substantially increased by the state government in the next state budget, said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

While inaugurating the MSME Trade fair 2021 through video conferencing, the Chief Minister said: "In the next financial year, the budget of MSME Department is being substantially increased. My government will always go the extra mile to help and encourage the MSMEs to encourage them to participate and contribute in building a vibrant and globally competitive new resurgent Odisha."

He said that the MSME sector particularly has been affected due to COVID-19 and it will take a long time to recover fully adding, ''The government will continue to engage with the MSMEs and ensure that the COVID-19 impact is minimised.

He further said that Government has been working closely with millions of our micro-entrepreneurs in the form of Mission Shakti groups.

Lauding Odisha which has been recognized at national level as a leader state, he said ''the state is also doing well in the startup landscape.''

"The Startups are the future of industry and MSME because of their innovative and disruptive ideas," he asserted.

The Chief Minister announced that to provide a better eco-system, the government is constructing a dedicated state-of-the-art incubation centre in Odisha known as O-Hub.

Commenting on the trade fair, he said "I am happy that this year we are able to organise MSME trade fair and meet today inspite of the COVID-19 pandemic situation since last year. Thankfully, with the cooperation of all, Odisha has been able to successfully overcome the COVID-19 health crisis,"

The 9th edition of Odisha MSME Trade Fair-2021 which is scheduled to begin from March 5th, 2021 at Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) exhibition ground will have no international participation due to COVID pandemic.

The state government has been organising the trade fair since 2013 with an objective to bring the potential buyers and sellers to a single platform for mutually beneficial trade in service product and technology.