Nahan exhibition: MSME development seminar held on Day 2 at Chaugan Ground
“The Chief Minister’s vision is to reach out to every needy individual and extend a helping hand. Following his footsteps, I am committed to making social service the purpose of my life,” he added.
In collaboration with the MSME Development Office, the Himachal Pradesh State Handicrafts and Cottage Industries Corporation (HPDCIC) hosted a one-day national seminar as part of the three-day exhibition fair under the MSME Ministry’s Procurement and Marketing Assistance Scheme. This event took place on the second day of the fair at Chaugan Ground, Nahan, with Ajay Solanki, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Nahan, as the chief guest and Sumit Khimta, Deputy Commissioner of Sirmaur, as the special guest.
During his address, Solanki emphasised the role of the seminar in creating awareness among new and existing entrepreneurs about government initiatives supporting MSME development.
He urged self-help groups and small enterprises to make the most of the MSME Ministry’s schemes.
Solanki said this financial year saw the successful organisation of two exhibition fairs in the state.
Over 50 micro and small enterprises had benefitted from the Procurement and Marketing Assistance Scheme this year, he added.
He said the state had over 1,89,000 registered enterprises. Under the JED (Just Entrepreneurial Development) scheme, the state had issued 1,600 bronze certificates, nine silver certificates, and ten gold certificates to deserving enterprises, he added.
A cluster development initiative had received ministry approval, and projects worth over Rs 60 crore have been sanctioned to boost industrial development in the region, he said.The event witnessed valuable insights from Ashok Kumar Gautam, Assistant Director, Indian Enterprise Development Service, who detailed various schemes launched by the department to support entrepreneurs, he added. A series of key speakers representing different organisations shared their expertise and updates on government schemes for MSME growth, he said.
Key speakers included Rahul Joshi from the Reserve Bank of India, Varun Singhwal and Shashank Kumar from SIDBI, Surabhushan from the NSIC-SC-ST Hub, Mir Zahoor from GEM, Vinay Sharma from FIO, and Dr Thakur Bhagat and Rahul Sharma from the District Industries Centre.
Sukhman Singh from MSME-TC and Ambedkar Kashyap from QCI-MSME PCI explained various policies aimed at supporting micro, small and medium enterprises’ development and welfare.
The seminar also highlighted that the exhibition fair was an opportunity for enterprises from Sirmaur and other regions of the state to showcase their products. In line with the MSME Ministry’s guidelines, the MSME Development Office will provide financial support to participating enterprises. As part of the Procurement and Marketing Assistance Scheme, eligible enterprises will receive reimbursement for stall expenses and contingency costs, up to a maximum of Rs 80,000.
This event served as a platform for skill development, awareness and collaboration among various stakeholders, marking another step towards promoting entrepreneurship and economic growth in the state.