A positive mindset towards micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is needed for development of this sector in the State,” said MSME Minister Damodar Rout while inaugurating an MSME Summit-cum-Expo 2013 organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) here on Friday.
Rout said companies operating in the State import several materials and necessary equipments from outside though these products are available in the local market. The outside small-scale industries get benefit out of it while the local industries cannot grow due to lack of marketing facilities. So the attitude of the companies and the people who import materials from outside the State should change in favour of the local markets, he said.
Food processing units, ancillary industries and other small-scale industries are coming up in the State which is a good sign for the MSME sector. The mega industries should always provide platform for the small-scale and micro-level industries, said the Minister.MSME Department Secretary Panchanan Dash said the growth rate of entrepreneurs has increased after introduction of online registration as the manual system was taking time and was not so friendly for the new entrepreneurs. “Odisha MSME is growing faster and faster than the national level, and we are doing well,” claimed Dash.
The ICC experts said they are optimistic about a bright future of the MSME sector with large investments pouring in in the steel and aluminium sectors. Odisha has estimated a business of Rs 50 billion in the next 10 years from the MSME sector of the State, they added. Among others, ICC Odisha Committee executive member ND Rao, Regional Head NSIC Odisha and Chhattisgarh PC Nayak, Gupta Power Infrastructure ltd managing director MK Gupta, Mesco Steel CMD Rita Singh, Neelachal Ispat Nigam limited MD PK Mishra, ICC Odisha Expert Committee head JB Pany and entrepreneurs from across the State were present.