OASME celebrates 38th Annual State Level Convention & Foundation Day

Bhubaneswar(12/08/2024): The Odisha Assembly of Small and Medium Enterprises (OASME) marked its 38th Annual State Level Convention and Foundation Day on Monday at Jaydev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. The convention was inaugurated by Chief Guest Raghubar Das, Governor of Odisha, in presence of Guests of Honour Sampad Chandra Swain, Minister of State for Industries, Skill Development, and Technical Education, Government of Odisha, Gokulananda Mallik, Minister of State for MSME, Fisheries & Animal Resources Department, Government of Odisha, Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary of Industry & MSME Department, Government of Odisha; Dr.Subhransu Sekhar Acharya, CMD of National Small Industries Corporation Ltd; and P.K.Gupta, IEDS, Joint Director and HOO, MSME DFO, Ministry of MSME, Government of India. Inaugurating the convention, the Governor praised OASME’s commendable efforts in MSME development and encouraged young entrepreneurs to continue their pursuits.

OASME’s dedication to empowering entrepreneurs has been exceptional.

OASME’s initiatives, like the engineering cluster, have significantly boosted our local economy and have helped in job creation.

Governor Raghubar Das highlighted the growing number of women entrepreneurs and stressed the importance of value addition, particularly in the textile sector, to attract more investment and retain skilled labour within the state.

He emphasized the need for policies that align with current requirements, aiming to create more employment opportunities with less investment. The Governor released a souvenir featuring articles on MSME promotion and honoured successful MSME entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, MSME units, and industrial promotional officers with the OASME Award-2024 for their contributions to the MSME sector.

Also, a Directory on the SC/ST women entrepreneurs' database was unveiled on this occasion.

Minister Sampad Chandra Swain addressed the gathering, stating, "The government is fully committed to support the MSME sector, recognizing its crucial role in driving our state's economic growth.

We encourage OASME to lead the charge in raising awareness and motivating local entrepreneurs to step forward and establish their businesses.

With substantial budgetary provisions for MSME development, Odisha is on the path to significant progress.

There are no barriers between the government and the people, anyone is welcome to meet with us and discuss their concerns.

Together, we can build a prosperous Odisha." State Level seminars on “Public Procurement Policy: Unlocking SC/ST and Women MSEs Potential & growth”and “Awareness Programme on Competitive Lean Scheme” were also organized on this occasion for creating awareness amongst the entrepreneurs.

Speaking on this occasion, Minister Gokulananda Mallik said, "There are many challenges we need to address, and much work remains to be done.

Despite the abundant opportunities in Odisha, we find ourselves lagging in certain areas.

The Central Government is placing a strong emphasis on the development of Odisha, whether it be in industry or tourism.

The skill level of our workforce is exceptionally high, yet due to existing gaps, these sectors are not fully explored.

The issue of land allocation for small industries needs to be resolved to ensure smooth progress.

The 'One District, One Product' initiative holds great promise, and we must empower our rural youth to become self-reliant." The Heads of all PSUs and large Houses, Commercial Banks and promotional agencies connected with development of MSMEs in the State attended the Inaugural Ceremony as well as Technical Session of the seminars and contributed their valuable wisdom.

The event was largely graced by the entrepreneur MSMEs, startups, Innovators, investors and Exporters from all over the state. Speaking at the event, Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary of Industry & MSME Department, said, "The new government and budget present exciting opportunities for Odisha, including the development of MSME parks in every district.

We are dedicated to overcome the credit challenges faced by MSMEs through a new state credit support scheme, which will work in tandem with updates to the Central Government’s Mudra Scheme.

Marketing continues to be a significant challenge, and we are aligning the State Procurement Policy with the Central Government’s to address this issue.

Furthermore, the budget allocates Rs 1,000 crore to create 10,000 new jobs, representing a major step towards reducing unemployment." Dr.Subhransu Sekhar Acharya, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of National Small Industries Corporation, along with D.Prasanth Kumar Reddy, Director of Industries, Odisha MSME Department, and other distinguished guests including Sudhi Ranjan Mishra of Paradeep Phosphates Ltd., and Digambar Pradhan of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., were present at the event.

The gathering also included senior representatives from IFFCO, Indian Oil Corporation, Paradeep Port Authority, Utkal Alumina, and various other prominent organizations. Gauri Sankar Dash, Chairman of OASME, urged young entrepreneurs to step forward and praised the new government for its proactive measures.

He acknowledged the progress made in recent years but highlighted that local MSMEs are still not fully benefiting from these efforts.

He emphasized that MSMEs, alongside agriculture, play a crucial role in creating employment opportunities.

He requested the new government to focus on the MSME sector, providing more opportunities for growth and exploration.

Dash also mentioned the ongoing efforts to develop an Engineering Cluster in Odisha and announced plans to organize an MSME expo soon, noting the high motivation among the youth involved. Satwik Swain, General Secretary, OASME presented the annual report, highlighting the upcoming engineering cluster, which is scheduled for inauguration by the end of September.

He also mentioned their application for an incubation center and their appeal to the Minister for its approval.

IDCO is investing Rs 20 crore in infrastructure development in the area.

Swain emphasized the significance of the one-of-its-kind MSME Expo being organized by OASME, noting that last year, 36 machines were showcased, all of which were successfully acquired by local entrepreneurs.

He underscored that as entrepreneurs, their mission is to confront challenges head-on and drive growth. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between OASME and NRDC.

The Foundation Day was concluded with the Annual General Body Meeting followed by cultural programme.