Arunachal: Union Minister for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma advocates SC-ST entrepreneurship in the state

The Union Minister for State in the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, graced the National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Mega Conclave held at the DK Convention Centre in Itanagar on October 6. The event, organized by the Ministry of MSME, Government of India, aimed to promote entrepreneurship among Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.

Tumke Bagra, Minister for Industries in Arunachal Pradesh, was also present at the conclave along with other officials. The Secretary of the Ministry of MSME highlighted the importance of the event, saying, "The Ministry is implementing more than 20 schemes, especially for SCs/STs all over India, and this conclave is for creating awareness among the ST/SC entrepreneurs of Arunachal Pradesh about the NSSH scheme and other schemes of the Ministry."

The primary objective of the conclave was to provide a platform for aspiring and existing SC-ST entrepreneurs to interact with Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), financial institutions, Government e Marketplace (GeM), and State Government departments. The event aimed to boost the participation of SC/ST Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in public procurement.

Vijay Prakash, Zonal General Manager (North East) of the National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC), explained, "The National SC-ST Hub scheme is being implemented to augment the capacity of SC-ST entrepreneurs and empower them to participate in the public procurement process. It aims to fulfill the mandated target of 4 percent procurement from SC/ST enterprises under the public procurement policy by the Ministries, Departments, and CPSEs."

He stated that the conclave would enable SC-ST MSMEs to broaden their horizons by introducing new ideas as they become aware of the various interventions offered by the Government.

The participation of CPSEs such as NHPC, POWERGRID, Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Ltd, among others, in the conclave was seen as a significant opportunity for aspiring and existing SC-ST entrepreneurs to interact with these organizations and enhance their participation in public procurement.