My dear international delegates, national participants, members of ni-msme family, ladies and gentlemen:

My hearty congratulations to all of you on the occasion of the 61st Republic Day of our country. I am happy to share that our Institute was established just a decade after the country had become a republic, in the year 1950. Our Institute has been contributing unstinted services for the last over 50 years for the promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises. We have been modifying our focus from training in the initial days to research, consultancy, providing information, organising workshops / seminars and so on now, for the benefit of various institutions within the country and abroad. Simultaneously, we have been supporting the promotion of MSMEs in 127 countries through various schemes like ITEC, SCAAP, TCS Colombo Plan, Commonwealth Secretariat, ILO, AARDO and UNIDO. Thus, we have trained more than 7,000 executives from various organisations across the globe.

I am also happy to state that we have organised special programmes for the benefit of African countries under India–Africa Forum Summit last year. It is very important to recall here that India and most of the developing nations had to struggle hard against colonialism and apartheid, and we have emerged capable and strong to jointly accept the challenges of a globalising world. We have also to deal with threats to international peace and security especially due to rising incidence of international terrorism. It is a major inhibitor to development along with poverty, which continues to plague the developing countries in spite of policy efforts. We strongly believe that all the developing countries traverse the same path, share the same values and cherish the same dreams. This Institute has been one of the privileged partners to building up strong bilateral relationships through organising programmes ranging from capacity building and creation of micro and small enterprises among the developing countries.

Our Institute has also been supporting the State and the Central governments in formulating the policy, developing the programmes, designing schemes and extending services for implementation, monitoring and following up for promotion of MSMEs and self-employment schemes. The Institute has contributed richly through organising programmes both announced and customised, undertaking research projects, and extending consultancy for the promotion of rural and urban enterprises as well. The Institute is not only assisting our Ministry of MSME, but also more than a dozen Ministries / departments of Government of India. We have been extending support and cooperation to State governments for promoting enterprises through our presence in various activities.

Skill development holds the key to economic development. The Hon’ble Prime Minister has initiated National Skill Development Mission, which is implemented through the National Skill Development Corporation, an apex body chaired by our Hon’ble Prime Minister. I am happy to state that we have been associated with the Skill Development Corporation by way of organising a series of programmes for the upgradation of the identified ITIs and polytechnics of the country, sponsored by the Director General, Employment & Training, Ministry of Labour & Employment. Food processing is a rising sector that calls for creativity, skill and quality. Perceiving the importance of this sector, our Central government has created a separate ministry for this sector.

One of the outstanding contributions of ni-msme to MSME sector is the promotion of micro and small enterprises through cluster approach over the last six years. We have been providing expertise for developing about 60 clusters in the country, including a wide product range. Besides, we are also striving to brighten the rural and artisan enterprises through cluster approach. Our contribution has been well recognised by the Govt. of India as well as State governments.

In recent years, we have been focusing the MSME-related issues arising from WTO/globalisation such as Intellectual Property Rights, export marketing, and Quality standards. We are also planning to introduce educational programmes in entrepreneurship and MSME management. The idea is to enhance the competitiveness of our MSME sector by direct support through various initiatives to strengthen the sector. We also endeavour to step up our international consultancy services.

To advance in this direction, we contemplate establishing MSME business centres, technology incubation centres, animation & gaming parks, and national product exposition centres. These would help accelerate the development of MSME sector in the country by making available state-of-the-art facilities.

As I have been highlighting in different fora, the developing nations are facing the pressure of globalisation, which has gained momentum in the last few years. In fact, it has become a phenomenon as many countries in the world have embarked upon economic liberalisation. This is further facilitated by improved transport and communication facilities, borderless markets, fast mobilisation of the capital from one place to another, huge opportunities in exports, and demand for innovative MSME entrepreneurs in the developing world.

On the one hand we have to overcome the problems at home, while on the other we have to face the challenges of globalisation that would also yield opportunities of growth for our national economies. In this respect the national and international institutions/organisations need to play a very pro-active role at every level.

Our country has taken dynamic initiatives to catch up with the process of globalisation by introducing vibrant policies and programmes by blazing new approaches/strategies. One such initiative was the enforcement of MSME Development Act, 2006. Others consist of initiating skill development programmes, helping micro enterprises through Udyami Mitras, developing new schemes for vulnerable sections (SCs/STs, OBCs, Minorities and Women), promoting IPR awareness, and maintaining quality standards.

On this occasion I congratulate my faculty colleagues and the staff of the Institute, whose commitment was instrumental in achieving the goals. We have been working tirelessly for the last five years in order to maintain our self-sufficient status.

Before concluding, I wish to share that we should all work together for the development of micro and small enterprises in tiny villages through metropolitan cities in our countries. To realise this objective, this Institute would ceaselessly support the organisations within the country and abroad. Let us all re-dedicate ourselves for the growth and development of our economies through promotion of MSMEs.

Thank you.