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MSME Sector’s Role in Local Economy Highlighted
During the inauguration of a two-day vendor development programme for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Jhansi on Wednesday, divisional commissioner Bimal Kumar Dubey emphasized the sector’s significant potential for job creation. He stated that after agriculture, the MSME sector is the most capable of generating employment and is crucial for bolstering the local economy.
More than 15 stalls were set up by public sector undertakings, government departments, banks and MSME units to showcase their products and services. He said public procurement policy requires central public sector undertakings and government organisations to procure 25% of their annual requirements from micro and small enterprises, including specified sub-targets for SC/ST and women-owned enterprises. He also highlighted the potential of the renewable energy sector in Bundelkhand, saying solar power generation had reached 275 MW in the region, including 250 MW in Jhansi and 200 MW in Lalitpur, according to figures cited at the event. He said a new industrial city was being developed near Jhansi and that 28,000 acres of land had already been acquired. A 1,200-acre housing project was also proposed, he said, adding that it would support industrial development and benefit MSME units.
The commissioner stressed the need to promote the “Vocal for Local” initiative and said MSMEs could become a major source of employment beyond agriculture. District magistrate Gaurang Rathi said such vendor development programmes helped bridge the gap between MSME units and markets. “A roadmap has been prepared to make Jhansi an industrial hub,” he said, adding that developing Bundelkhand as a manufacturing hub was among the government’s key objectives. Vice-chairman of Jhansi Development Authority Himanshu Gautam said the authority was extending support to the Defence Corridor and other industrial initiatives. BCCI president Dhiraj Khullar said the vendor development programme would be highly beneficial for entrepreneurs in Bundelkhand and would help advance the vision of a self-reliant India. MSME Development Office director Vishnu Kumar Verma said the programme was aimed at facilitating direct interaction between MSME units and government departments and public sector enterprises.
The programme, being organised by the MSME Development Office, Kanpur, under the Union ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises in association with the Bundelkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). Additional CEO of Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) Praveen Verma briefed participants on the public procurement policy and the GeM registration process.