Govt bringing new policies, schemes to strengthen MSMEs: Mercy Epao

The government is bringing new policies and schemes to strengthen MSMEs, says Joint Secretary Mercy Epao. Key initiatives include the GIFT scheme for sustainability, support for Industry 4.0, and a new MSME Export Centre to boost global trade.

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, Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), told ANI.

"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," Epao told ANI on the sidelines of a FICCI event.

Focus on Sustainability and Technology

Highlighting the ministry's focus on sustainable manufacturing, Epao said the Green Investment and Finance and Technology (GIFT) Scheme is aimed at helping MSMEs transition to greener energy and cleaner production processes.

"GIFT scheme is Green Investment and Finance and Technology Scheme and as we move towards the 2030 goal, we see that MSMEs have to also now transit to greener energy so that our processes become cleaner and cleaner. We are helping the MSMEs with this," she said.

On technology adoption, Epao 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 create an industry-ready workforce.

Boosting Exports

Epao said the proposed MSME Export Centre at the National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NIMSME) in Hyderabad has already been approved but is yet to be implemented and is expected to become operational in around two years.

The Ministry of MSME has proposed setting up a dedicated MSME Export Centre at the National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NIMSME) in Hyderabad to help small businesses access export markets.

Epao said the proposed centre would act as a one-stop facility for MSMEs by 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," she said.

She said the ministry also wants MSMEs to leverage opportunities arising from India's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and multilateral platforms such as BRICS.

Support and Global Outreach

Referring to the BRICS SME Forum held in Agra last month, Epao said the deliberations highlighted significant export potential for Indian MSMEs in BRICS member and partner countries.

The Joint Secretary said the ministry is supporting first-time exporters by reimbursing Export Promotion Council registration fees, export insurance premiums and product certification costs to help MSMEs enter international markets.

The ministry is also collaborating with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on technology-related initiatives for MSMEs. In addition, the ministry facilitates MSME participation in international exhibitions and trade fairs abroad, enabling enterprises to showcase their products, connect with buyers and expand their global outreach.

Future Policy Formulation

The Ministry has compiled over two thousand recommendations received from MSMEs and industry bodies and is in the process of examining them.

"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," she said.

However, she clarified that the exercise has not yet been finalised at the national level and it is too early to announce any policy decisions based on the recommendations.

Epao said the ministry is continuing to work on the exercise, which is aimed at supporting the government's focus on strengthening India's manufacturing base. (ANI)

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