Exports from Indian MSMEs to touch USD 50 bn
Exports from Indian MSMEs to touch USD 50 bn Exports from Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is estimated to have reached a record level of USD 50 billion during 2006-07, amounting to 40% of India`s total merchandise exports.
There are 12.5 million MSMEs in India, providing employment to 30 million people, and contributing a round 50% of the country`s industrial production. The major MSME export products include ready made garments, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, processed foods, leather products, and marine products.
Small-scale industries in the country have consistently maintained a growth rate higher by about 1.5 to 2 than the overall industrial growth rate. The availability of policy and development support enabled the rapid development of MSMEs in India.
This was indicated in a presentation on MSMEs – The Indian scenario, by Jawhar Sircar, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, at the recent International Conference on India-Africa Cooperation in Industry, Trade and Investment, which was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in cooperation with the Government of India under the banner of UNIDO Centre for South-South Industrial Cooperation established earlier this year.
Changes in policy and support have been effected in tune with the emerging needs of globalization to enable SSIs to maintain and improve their competitive edge by ensuring WTO compatibility; availability of finance; technology up gradation; and ski ll development.
Support programmes and schemes for MSMEs in India include: assistance for entrepreneurship development; credit guarantee fund scheme for small industries, micro finance programmes; credit linked subsidy scheme for technology upgradation; tool rooms for moulds, jigs and fixtures; testing stations for calibration; cluster development programmes; quality upgradation in small scale sector through incentives for ISO 9000 and 14001 certification; trade-related entrepreneurship assistance
for women; and setting up of testing centres by industry associations.
