Union Minister Narayan Rane Addresses 9th Annual Shakti International Women Entrepreneurs Summit

New Delhi: Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Narayan Rane, addressed the 9th Annual Shakti International Women Entrepreneurs Summit held in New Delhi today. The Minister expressed immense pride in the unprecedented rise of women entrepreneurs in the MSME sector, revealing that over 1.40 crore MSMEs are currently led by women.

During the summit, Rane announced that Zed Certification for women-owned MSMEs is now entirely free, encouraging more women to take advantage of this certification. The event recognized and honored women entrepreneurs who have benefited from the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme and those who have demonstrated exceptional performance.

Key Initiatives Launched at the Summit:

Panjikaran Se Pragati Campaign:
The Ministry of MSME, in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), launched the “Panjikaran Se Pragati” campaign. This national initiative aims to encourage women entrepreneurs across the country to register under the Udyam scheme, unlocking a plethora of opportunities.

WEP Unnati – Udyamita se Pragati tak Program:
A joint program of the Ministry of MSME and WEP, the “WEP Unnati – Udyamita se Pragati tak” initiative, introduces the Award-to-Reward (ATR) program. This groundbreaking effort provides comprehensive capacity-building support through WEP to propel women-led MSMEs to the next level of growth.

Mentorship Platform by WEP:
The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) unveiled its mentorship platform, fostering guidance and support for aspiring women entrepreneurs.

The event saw the presence of prominent figures, including S.C.L. Das, Secretary, Anna Roy, Senior Advisor at Niti Aayog, Mercy Epao, JS – SME, and Dr. Ishita Ganguli Tripathy, Additional Development Commissioner, Office of DC-MSME, along with women entrepreneurs, industry experts, and government leaders from across the country.

The annual Shakti International Women Entrepreneurs Summit, hosted by the India SME Forum and the Ministry of MSME in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurs Forum, celebrates International Women’s Day. The summit serves as a platform to empower both aspiring and established women entrepreneurs, providing insights into business innovation, leadership, and achieving excellence in diverse industry sectors.

The interactive sessions and inspirational discussions at the summit contribute to the collective goal of fostering women’s entrepreneurship in India.