MoU Signed with Various Industrial Organizations and Associations for the Development of Industries in Maharashtra

Mumbai : The Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation (MSIDC) has signed two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at promoting new employment opportunities and enhancing capacity within the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

On Tuesday, 13th August 2022, Rajendra Nimbalkar, Managing Director of MSIDC, signed an MoU with Dr. Poonam Sinha, Director of the National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. As part of this MoU, one-day workshops will be organized over the next year for 10,000 women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises across Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation has been appointed by the Government as the State Nodal Institution to implement the RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance) program in collaboration with the World Bank and the Ministry of MSME, Government of India. The Corporation has maintained the momentum of the scheme through new partnerships with NIESBUD and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The primary objective of this MoU is to support women-led MSMEs in business planning, financial management, marketing, technology adoption, and business sustainability.

A major challenge faced by MSMEs is the availability of appropriately skilled manpower. To address this issue, the Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation signed another MoU with the Employers Federation of India (EFI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on 22nd August 2024. Under this MoU, short-term skill development training will be provided to 10,000 job seekers in Maharashtra over the next year, who will then be employed in the MSME sector through a recruitment-training-placement model. The CII’s Skill Development Initiative has started creating demand-based courses to provide employment across various activities, and trained candidates from these courses will be selected for employment. Selection of trainees will be conducted through Employment Exchange Centres, colleges, and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). The implementation of this scheme will be partnered with the Employers’ Federation and the Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation.

The MoU with the Employers Federation was signed by its Director General, Sougat Roy Choudhary, and Mrs. Jaya Awasthi, Head of Skill Development, Federation of Indian Industries.

Rajendra Nimbalkar, Managing Director of MSIDC, stated that there are more than 4.6 million Udyam-registered MSMEs operating in Maharashtra. The proposal to benefit 100,000 MSMEs under the RAMP program is just the tip of the iceberg. A sustainable strategy will be developed by the Corporation to address the challenges faced by MSMEs even after the RAMP program concludes. One such initiative includes the development of flat factory plots in collaboration with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, which will be rented out to MSMEs at a 50% subsidy. This initiative will provide affordable space for MSMEs, encouraging them to take concrete steps towards their development through capacity-building activities under the RAMP scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Choudhary, Director General of CII, said that the Federation of Indian Industries is committed to supporting MSMEs at the national level. Capacity building and enhancing the productive capacity of MSMEs are key objectives of the Federation. The project undertaken with MSIDC through this MoU is a part of this mission, and through this collaboration, the Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation and the Federation of Indian Industries can jointly contribute to the growth of the MSME sector.

To implement various activities under the RAMP program, the Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation has signed MoUs with the following organizations:

1. Maratha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture, Pune – Capacity Building
2. Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Pune – Capacity Building for SC/ST Industry Sectors
3. India SME Forum, Mumbai – Capacity Building
4. Sahyadri Rural Development Foundation, Nashik – Capacity Building
5. Rubber, Chemical, and Petrochemicals Skill Development Council, Delhi – Skill Development
6. Gems and Jewellery Skill Council of India, Mumbai – Skill Development
7. Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai – Intellectual Property Rights
8. Youth Build Foundation, Pune – Skill Development
9. Maharashtra Entrepreneurship Development Centre, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar – Capacity and Skill Development
10. IDBI Bank – Credit Facility
11. MSTC Limited – Supply Chain Development through E-commerce
12. Institute of Design of Electrical Measuring Instruments – Capacity Building
13. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India – Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs
14. Mrs. Farogh Mukadam, Joint Managing Director of the Corporation, stated that the MoUs signed by the Corporation are aimed at ensuring regional and sectoral balance. A comprehensive memorandum of understanding has been prepared to address this objective. The Corporation has outlined specific activities for women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes industries to be included in the program. By collaborating with various institutions, companies, and industrial groups, the Corporation is working to connect them with both national and global supply chains.
15. The State of Maharashtra has submitted its Strategic Investment Plan under the RAMP Scheme to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. The Ministry has sanctioned the highest amount of Rs. 189.50 crores for Maharashtra. This fund will be used to implement activities focused on capacity building, skill development, financial accessibility, and market access (both national and international) for MSMEs in the state.
16. The Corporation has appointed KPMG as the State Program Implementation Unit to oversee the implementation of the RAMP program in Maharashtra. For more information, please contact mdmssidc-mh@mah.gov.in.