Rasquinha wants improved infrastructure for the growth of exports
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the North East region can make a huge contribution towards strengthening the rural economy and providing sustainable livelihoods for women in the region, says Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP in India.
She underlined the importance of resilience for MSMEs, pointing out that the pandemic has shown how fragile small businesses are, especially for women.
Speaking at a webinar, “Impact of COVID-19 in MSME Sector in the North East India: Challenges and Opportunities”, on 22 October 2020, she stressed that the country can achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) only if North East has equal access to education and livelihoods.
India Exim Bank MD, David Rasquinha in his address at the webinar, called for improving infrastructure and connectivity for the development of MSMEs and the growth of exports from the region.
India Exim Bank in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in India has organized the webinar.
Noting that COVID-19 has disrupted the value chain of the MSMEs especially handloom, handicrafts and food processing sectors, he urged the entrepreneurs to formulate a business continuity and recovery plan in case of similar disruptions happening in the future.
Organizations like the UNDP and India Exim Bank are in the right position based on their existing activities in the region, to assist MSMEs in their future endeavors, he added.
The North Eastern Council Secretariat secretary K. Moses Chalai called for Industry 4.0 for the region, pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought out several innovations by the enterprises of the region.
With the youth in the region started taking more risks, he believed that North East today holds huge potential to come up with good startups. He also emphasized that it is time to look into the governance issues faced by the region.
Other webinar panelists deliberated upon various issues, along with the current and future prospects for the MSME sector in the North East region in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several entrepreneurs thanked India Exim Bank and the UNDP for their timely support offered to MSMEs in the region. The webinar saw participation from several industry bodies, entrepreneurs and organizations from the region.
During the event, a Coffee Table Book showcasing several case studies and impact stories in agriculture, handloom and handicrafts sectors from three North Eastern states of Assam, Mizoram and Nagaland, supported by India Exim Bank-UNDP project was released. #MSMEs #investment #exports #trade #development #Technology /fiinews.com
