The Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) organised a programme on e-Commerce called ‘Digital Empowerment of MSMEs’ on August 25 in Ludhiana, with support from MSME-DI (Development Institute), Ludhiana, and ShopClues, an online marketplace.

Upkar Singh Ahuja, General Secretary, CICU, while welcoming the dignitaries, said the main objective of the programme was to achieve excellence in sales via e-Commerce assistance available for expanding businesses like manufacturing and trading services through digital empowerment escalating to new geographical region of customers. e-Commerce is a must for micro small and medium enterprises if they want to compete in the global market.

Chandra Mohan, Deputy General Manager, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), said the CICU and ShopClues were present to support and create awareness about the significance of digitisation in the MSME sector as it was the prime driver in India’s economic growth.

A panel discussion on ‘Facilitating a Digital Competitive Ecosystem of MSMEs’ was also conducted for the attending merchants focusing on how digital advancement could help MSMEs sustain in the competitive environment. These merchants retail across categories like home and furnishing, fashion and lifestyle, and industrial goods, etc.

Kamal Singh, Deputy Director, MSME-DI, Ludhiana, said, “MSMEs constitute over 80 per cent of the Indian retail sector, and, with proper training and guidance, they are capable of revolutionising the future of our country. In the massive and dynamic space of retail business in India, only a small percentage has gone online so far. ShopClues, with their merchant-focus, has pushed for economic inclusion through the creation of a level-playing field for MSMEs.”

Speaking on the occasion, Ganesh Balakrishnan, Vice-President (merchant ecosystem) ShopClues, said, “Ludhiana has always been known to have one of the best business environments in India. MSMEs in the lifestyle domain, producers of household appliances, hosiery and apparel, industrial goods, machine parts, and auto parts have been its major contributors. This programme was to further empower MSMEs and bring them into the economic mainstream of the country.”

Source: The Tribune