Bhubaneswar: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the biggest source of untapped trade growth and this sector is expected to generate a bulk of new jobs for employment-ready youths by 2030, said Odisha Governor SC Jamir.

Inaugurating the Eastern India MSME conference organised by the Chamber of Small Industry Associations (COSIA), Thane and Odisha Assembly of Small and Medium Enterprises (OASME) on December 16, Jamir said discussions on the development agenda are increasingly recognising the importance of ensuring an economic growth component.

‘’It clearly points to SMEs being at the heart of this growth discourse. Odisha is vigorously following its MSME development policy to make the State a destination of choice for micro, small and medium enterprises,’’ he said.

The conference, held close on the heels of a successful Make-In-Odisha conclave and Odisha Start-up conclave, provided a great opportunity for the State to showcase the investment opportunities for MSMEs and the measures taken to encourage local entrepreneurial talent and entrepreneurship.

Two national level seminars on ‘Implementation and impact of GST on MSMEs’ and ‘Innovation in MSME for global competitiveness’ were organised where possibilities, opportunities, prospects and emerging challenges in the sector were deliberated.

Among others, Principal Secretary of MSME Department LN Gupta, Secretary of Industries, Mines and Geology Department, Jharkhand Sunil Kumar Barnwa, President COSIA MR Khambete and Chairman-OASME Gouri Shankar Dash also spoke. Financial institutions and commercial banks focusing on promotion of MSME sector and entrepreneurs from eastern parts of the country attended the meeting.

Source: The New Indian Express