Selfie robot attracts a long queue at Vyapar

Kochi, June 16: Kerala Minister for Law, Industries and Coir Shri P. Rajeeve had a pleasant surprise at Vyapar 2002 today when a robot at the business-to-business meet invited him for a photo and came up with its print in 30 seconds after the click. An amused minister, who was impressed with the ‘selfie robot’, went ahead with his round of the stalls at JLN International Stadium Ground before inaugurating the three-day event being organised chiefly by the Department of Industries and Commerce.

'Vyapar 2022' started in Kochi'

Kochi, June 16: Kerala is surging towards meeting its target of setting up one lakh MSMEs in the current financial year, with 13,137 enterprises in the micro, small and medium sector already registering in the first two-and-a-half months of FY 2022-23, Minister for Law, Industries and Coir Shri P. Rajeeve said today.

 “This has brought in an investment of Rs 982.73 crore so far this fiscal, giving employment to 30,698 people,” he said after inaugurating the state government’s three-day ‘Vyapar 2022’ business-to-business meet in the city, setting the stage for 350 entrepreneurs to strike partnerships with 500 buyers from across the country.

Facilitating around 10,000 B2B meetings, the June 16-18 event will boost the administration’s renewed pro-industry measures to project Kerala as a prime business destination before the rest of the country, the Minister noted at the event, being organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce, at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium Ground.

 Sustained efforts to strengthen MSMEs have led to recruitment of 1,155 interns at the panchayat level to train entrepreneurs. “A chunk of them are MBAs,” he revealed.

Pointing out that two recent laws have quickened the setting up of MSMEs in Kerala, the minister said KINFRA is working on a permanent exhibition-cum-convention centre in the city. Envisaged to be completed in October 2023, the project is coming up in suburban Kakkanad, he added. Kochi Mayor Shri M. Anilkumar, in his presidential address, said a positive change of approach of the stakeholders can revolutionise the MSME sector in the state.

 Industries and Commerce Director Shri S. Harikishore, welcoming the gathering, said Kerala was poised to realise its target of giving employment to four lakh people in the MSME sector.  KINFRA MD Shri Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Kerala State Small Industries Association President Shri M. Khalid and FICCI Kerala State Council Chairman Shri Deepak L. Aswani also spoke. Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-bip) CEO Shri Suraj S. proposed thanks.

 A major objective of Vyapar 2022, which will be open to the public on Saturday (June 18) from 2 pm, is to give an impetus to the pandemic-hit MSME units. The event provides them a platform to showcase the quality of their products, technological competence and skills before the industrial community. Besides buyers from top commercial establishments, representatives of all-India trade and commercial organisations, business consortiums, e-commerce executives, exporters and consumers are converging at the conclave to make business deals.

An expo at the event exhibits the productivity of industry, presenting the products that are branded or otherwise. It also aims to encourage industries to boost their growth profile, kindle the interest of investors and highlight the role of MSMEs in the state’s economic growth.

The focal sectors are food processing (food and spices); handlooms, textiles and garments (fashion design and furnishing products); rubber; coir products; Ayurveda and herbal (cosmetics and nutraceuticals); electrical and electronics; and traditional sectors that include hand-carved goods, handloom textiles and bamboo-based items.

Two portals for entrepreneurial empowerment

The Directorate of Industries and Commerce launched two online portals for the entrepreneurial empowerment of Kerala viz Grievances Redressal registration portal and Private Industrial Estate portal.

Grievances Redressal Portal

Private Industrial Estate portal

Entrepreneurial subsidy upto 40 lakhs

The department of Industries and Commerce declared revised subsidy for new MSMEs to encourage the entry of young talented entrepreneurs to the arena of Industry. The new project will be given up to 15 % subsidy of the fixed capital Investment.

These who seek assistance of financial institution as loan will be given subsidy at 50% (maximum up to 3 lakhs). As per the new entrepreneurial assistance, the general category gets 15% subsidy (upto 30 lakhs) and the SC, ST, Women and young entrepreneurs get 25% subsidy (upto 40 lakhs). The new ventures from backward districts viz, Kazargod, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad, Iduki will get on additional assistance up to 10% (maximum 10 lakhs). The same package will be given to those who acquired technical knowhow from recognised institution by State and Central Government. All the Capital Investment like land, buildings, machinery, power generating system are eligible for the scheme.

VYAPAR 2022

In order to spring up the morale of Micro Small Medium Entrepreneurs of the State the Department of Industry and Commerce is organizing an international business meet titled 'VYAPAAR 2022' from 16th to 18th June 2022 at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, Kochi. Around 300 MSME units engaged in the fiield of food processing, coir, rubber, ayurveda, electrical and electronics, handloom and garments, handicrafts are participating in the meet.

Arrangements have already been made to enter business agreements with the buyers of other states and foreign countries to widen the market of our MSME products. For further information visit  www.keralabusinessmeet.org