A 60-member international delegation from a total of 33 countries visited CII-AVANTHA Centre for Competitiveness for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to learn about its various activities in the realm of SME competitiveness, leadership and entrepreneurship.

The delegation was divided in two focus areas which were Innovative leadership for Organisation Growth & Excellence (IlOGE) and Entrepreneurship for Small Business Trainers/Promoters (ESB-TP), led by NIESBUD. They are engaged in the area of developing leaders and inculcating entrepreneurial culture in the society. A programme was organised at CII with an objective to develop them as professional innovative leaders.

Enumerating about the various services of CII-AVANTHA Centre, R Narayanan, Head, CII-AVANTHA Centre for Competitiveness for SMEs said, “The Centre hand-holds about 200 companies each year via Cluster approach at Pan India level for enhancing the internal competitiveness of companies.” He said that CII’s unique Cluster approach has helped industries save more than Rs200 crore through about Rs1 lakh improvement proposals at the plant level.”

Since its inception the Centre along with its strategic partners has formed about 240 Clusters impacting approximately 2500 SMEs.

The delegates from Ethiopia, Hungary, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Nepal, Tajikistan, Poland, Madagascar, Venezuela, Cambodia, Peru, Kyrgyzstan, liberia, Bangladesh, Comoros, Kazakhstan, Sri lanka, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, lesotho, Nigeria, Myanmar, laos, Bulgaria, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Tuvalu (Fiji), Syria, Uzbekistan, St lucia and Morocco attended the programme.