MSME minister stresses on embracing new technologies

Tirupati: Minister for MSME Kondapalli Srinivas stressed the importance of embracing new technologies and seizing emerging opportunities for the accelerated growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He was speaking at the World MSME Day 2025 celebrations held here on Friday.

He stated that the government is offering various welfare schemes to MSMEs, including under the RAMP scheme, where Intellectual Property (IP) support, skill development, and business development services are being prioritized and are being extended to the district level.

The minister said district collectors would play a key role in implementing MSME support services tailored to local needs. He outlined the government’s vision to help micro enterprises evolve into small enterprises and small enterprises into medium ones.

Srinivas emphasised that the Chief Minister is paying special attention to MSMEs and announced the government’s decision to establish one MSME Park in each of the 175 Assembly constituencies. These parks, located close to rural areas, will help reduce workforce migration and operating costs.

Some parks will be sector-specific, such as aerospace-related MSME parks near ISRO facilities. Both public and private players are encouraged to set up these parks, and landowners with large tracts of land are invited to collaborate with the government.

District collector Dr S Venkateswar noted the presence of various MSME segments in the district, including auto components, engineering, agro-based and food processing industries, textiles and garments, handicrafts, traditional arts, electronics and electrical goods, packaging, printing, and service-based enterprises. In the employment generation programme for the financial year 2024–25, the district exceeded its target of 186 units by establishing 647 units.

AP MSME Development Corporation chairman Tammireddy Siva Sankara Rao said that MSMEs provide 11 crore jobs through 6.8 crore enterprises in the country and added that during economic slowdowns and even the Covid-19 pandemic, MSMEs withstood pressures better than large industries.

State government advisor S Somanath highlighted the government’s proactive measures to support MSMEs, including provision of credit and infrastructure. He lauded the ‘One Entrepreneur per Household’ vision as a transformative idea.

Tirupati MLA Arani Srinivasulu, Satyavedu MLA K Adimulam and Corporation CEO M Vishwa also spoke on the occasion which was attended by Joint Collector Shubham Bansal, AP Greenery and Beautification Corporation Chairperson M Sugunamma and others.

As part of the celebrations, the Andhra Pradesh MSME Development Corporation signed MOUs with nine institutions and organisations – National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), MSME Technology Centre, Pudi, Visakhapatnam. National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME), Hyderabad, National Institute of Design (NID) in a tripartite agreement with SERP and APMSMEDC, National Productivity Council (NPC), Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) and National Stock Exchange (NSE).