Over 200 MSMEs Attend Competitiveness Workshop in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: A Composite Competitiveness Awareness Workshop was held at Bhubaneswar, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions and more than 200 MSME entrepreneurs to strengthen the growth and competitiveness of the sector in Odisha.

Organised by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises in collaboration with the MSME Department, Government of Odisha and the MSME Development & Facilitation Office, Cuttack, the workshop focused on improving access to credit, enhancing market linkages and boosting overall competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises.

Addressing the participants, Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, emphasised the need to reduce payment cycles in public procurement to improve cash flow for MSMEs. He also called for greater focus on investment and export growth to strengthen the sector.

Ankita Pandey, Director, Ministry of MSME, highlighted the role of the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme in bridging the gap between policy and grassroots implementation. She stressed the importance of capacity building, ZED certification, e-commerce integration and online dispute resolution mechanisms.

Delivering the keynote address, Rashmita Panda, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Odisha, underlined the role of digital platforms such as TReDS and ONDC in addressing delayed payments and expanding market access for MSMEs.

In his welcome address, P. K. Gupta, Joint Director, emphasised the need for strong collaboration between the Centre and the State to ensure effective implementation of MSME schemes and promote inclusive economic growth.

Milan Sharma, Head of the National Project Management Unit, elaborated on the objectives of the RAMP initiative, a World Bank-supported programme aimed at improving MSME competitiveness and institutional coordination. He described the workshop as an important platform for awareness generation and stakeholder convergence.

The workshop also featured technical sessions on access to finance, delayed payment solutions and sustainability, covering key initiatives such as MSME Champions, National SC-ST Hub and ESG practices.