Last year, the Union Ministry for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) came up with an NLAP (National Level Awareness Program). This program was launched for a timeline of 10 days, and it was commenced on 17 February, 2020. This program aimed to encourage students from different age groups to select entrepreneurship as their career. The scheme was growth-centric as it envisaged the increment in the number of industries in the MSME sector.
Underlining the Contribution of MSME sector toward India Economy
MSME sector has a terrific track record for providing unparalleled resilience to the Indian economy, and it has emerged as the most vibrant and growth-oriented sector. This sector has single handily steer the economy toward the growth regime and created ample employment opportunities in India. Besides, it also facilitates the industrialization of backward areas.
It’s worth noting that the contribution of this sector to the Indian economy is quite substantial. According to government data, this sector contribution in term of total export and total employment stands at 45% and 50% respectively. Besides, in terms of total GDP and total industrial units, the MSMEs contribution stands at 29% and 95%, respectively.
Moreover, the central government[1] envisages a contribution of two trillion dollars from MSMEs, which will help the country to accomplish the goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by the year 2024.
Therefore, this sector provides much-needed resilience to the Indian economy, as it helps in minimizing regional imbalances & also assures uniform allocation of national wealth & income. Lastly, MSMEs act as ancillary units to large firms and their contribution is quite significant to the nation’s socio-economic development.
Read our article:How MSME Registration Can Ensure Business Growth?
What is the key objective of the National Level Awareness Program 2020?
This program was primarily unveiled to spread awareness pertaining to various schemes as well as initiatives undertaken by the MSME ministry & other associated firms.
The other associated firms include;
- Office of Development Commissioner (MSME)
- Coir Board
- Khadi and Village Industries Commission
- Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialization
- National Small Industries Corporation Limited
- MSME Technology Centres
- National Institute of MSME
Underlining the Pivotal Points of National Level Awareness Program 2020
Following are the main points of the National Level Awareness Program 2020
About 126 field offices of the MSME ministry in association with annexed organizations worked under one roof to ensure widespread awareness of the program among the students. By the end of the timeline, the program successfully addressed more than six hundred colleges, encompassing almost 60,000 students pan India.
With this program, the government made an effort to promote entrepreneurship among the young blood of the nation-thereby envisioning the further empowerment and improvement of the MSME sector.
Under this program, several interactive session was held with the young blood of different age groups, where the subject matter experts addressed their question about the schemes.
Apart from these sessions, the students were being interacted with audio-video films and presentations on different activities executed by the Ministry and its associated bodies. Also, the student got access to details of programs & schemes offered by the MSME ministry.
Various Institutes were actively engaged with National Level Awareness Program 2020
Following are is a list of Institutes that had actively taken part in the National Level Awareness Program 2020 by organizing it within their premises –
- IIT Bombay organized this NLAP 2020 on 20 February 2020.
- National University of Study & Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, hosted this program for their students on 25 February 2020.
- In Ludhiana, the PCTE Entrepreneurship cell conducted the NLAP 2020 together with the MSME officials, viz–
- Mr Rajesh Kumar- Assistant Director of the MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) Development Institute since 2014.
- Mr Ravi Kant- Head National of the SC-ST Hub office in Ludhiana
- Mr Ashish Choudhary- Deputy Manager, NSIC (National Small Industries Corporation)
PPDC (Process and Product Development Centre), Agra, Uttar Pradesh, organized the National Level Awareness Program 2020.
- The Regional Coir Board Office hosted the NLAP 2020 in the SKBR (SreeKonaseemaBhanojiRamars) College, Amalapuram, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh.
- The E-cell of the Don Bosco Institute of Technology, Mumbai, hosted the NLAP 2020 on 09 March 2020.
Conclusion
By unveiling the National Level Awareness Program 2020, the Ministry for MSME intended to instil entrepreneurship among the new generation. The program prioritized self-empowerment and entrepreneurship, thereby reducing students’ dependency on securing the job. Consequently, the following months witnessed a sharp growth in MSME registration. But it was not that substantial owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
At present, almost every firms in the MSME sector are struggling to save their existence. With the second wave of pandemic disrupting the whole sector, the government need to launch a similar program to strengthen the economy. Such initiatives can help this sector survive this situation by open the door to new participants. The MSME sector will undoubtedly witness growth as more and more start-ups get on board.
Read our article:Procedure to Avail MSME Registration Certificate in India
