Presented by Dell Technologies and Intel, Digital Transformation Partner Vi Business and Associate Partner SIDBI, the workshop enabled conversations around technology, credit, and ease of doing business for MSMEs.
The latest edition of the FE Emerging Business Growth Workshops in Hyderabad enabled conversations around three factors integral to the faster and better growth of the MSME ecosystem: technology, credit, and ease of doing business. Presented by Dell Technologies and Intel, Digital Transformation Partner Vi Business and Associate Partner SIDBI, the half-day workshop on July 31 kicked off with a Guest of Honour address by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce and Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Government of Telangana.
Speaking on the upcoming Telangana MSME policy, Ranjan said that based on the consultative exercise with all key stakeholders involving meetings, surveys and visits to MSME clusters, six challenges faced by MSMEs in the state were identified: credit, technology, land, recruiting talent, access to raw material, identifying right markets.
With respect to technology, Ranjan noted that a large number of MSMEs in the state, particularly micro units in MSME clusters, were found to be using “19th-century technology.” Similarly for digital technology, Ranjan noted that almost 80 per cent of micro units were not using even basic services like email.
“So, in the new policy, the government will focus on providing technology solutions. At least in the major 10-15 manufacturing sectors — where a large number of MSMEs are present such as plastics, electronics, machine tooling, food processing, etc., — we will prepare a menu of all modern technologies available, their cost and how much they can improve productivity of MSMEs,” said Ranjan.
Moreover, the government has been in talks with banks for a new fund ‘Yantram’ to be added to the new policy for MSMEs, he added.
For adoption of digital technologies among MSMEs including e-commerce adoption, ERP tools, payment gateway solutions, inventory management tools etc., the government will purchase bulk licenses from large technology solutions companies and provide to MSMEs at discounted cost, Ranjan said. The new Telangana MSME policy is awaiting Cabinet approval.
