Agro-MSME policy coming soon
MSMEs have been told to win Japanese investments which is being relocated from China to elsewhere under a special package offered by Tokyo.
It is an opportunity for India which should be grabbed, said MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari via video conferencing with the representatives of SME Chamber of India, SME Export Promotion Council and representatives of beauty and wellness industry on impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs on 4 May 2020.
Japan has offered special package to its industries for taking out Japanese investments from China and move elsewhere, noted Gadkari.
Gadkari also informed that his Ministry is working on bringing out an Agro-MSME policy which will focus on entrepreneurship development in rural, tribal, agricultural and forest areas for manufacturing products using local raw material.
He impressed on the industry to focus on export enhancement as well as import substitution to replacements with domestic production.
Industry should focus more on innovation, entrepreneurship, science and technology, research skill and experiences to convert the knowledge into wealth, said the Minister.
He reiterated the need for industry to make future investments in industrial clusters, logistics parks equipped with state-of-art technology, especially now that the alignment of Delhi-Mumbai Green Express Highway has started.
Listing this as an opportunity, he stressed that there is a need to expand the horizon of industrial cluster in areas other than metro cities and urged industries for participation.
Gadkari suggested to the wellness and beauty industry to encourage use of Indian Ayurvedic products instead of imported products.
He acknowledged the industry’s concerns and challenges being faced amid COVID-19 pandemic and took note of requests for the government’s support to keep the sector afloat.
Some of the major issues highlighted and the suggestions given included: further extension of moratorium, payment of salaries to workers during lockdown from their ESI and Provident Fund, helpline for MSMEs, strengthening access to finance etc.
While assuring the government’s help he called on stakeholders to adopt an integrated approach to come over the crisis and urged the industry to have a positive attitude during this time to tide over this crisis created globally by coronavirus. fiinews.com
