Skill development a must to boost MSME confidence: Mishra

India certainly has talent but there is lack of programmes on skill development. Today there is a huge requirement for skill development whether its rural areas or urban areas. Whether it is entrepreneurs or labourers, or officers or professionals, there is a need of their skill development in their respective fields, said MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra at a CII conference on MSMEs growth and launch of an online finance facilitation centre for MSMEs by CII in New Delhi.

Mishra emphasised upon the need for skill development and an integrated approach to create opportunities for the common people and young entrepreneurs. He mentioned that this will not only build confidence, but also lead to self-sustainability resulting in self-development and nation building. 

"As there are over four lakh unregistered enterprises, how to bring them into the mainstream is what needs to be worked upon. This would need identification of several new sectors like defence and aviation," Mishra said. 

“Our focus is to promote village industry so that small business unit must be set up in villages; we want villages to become 'self-dependent'.

The minister also touched upon the role of MSMEs in generating more employment and eradicating poverty.

“In a large country like India, when we talk about eradicating poverty, it cannot only be done by agriculture or large businesses. Only if there will be development of MSMEs in India whether in rural, semi-urban and urban areas, people would be able to support their families and become self-reliant,” the minister added.

Mishra further stated that the main motive behind instituting MSME as a ministry has been to make people, whether low, semi or high skilled, confident of using available resources to businesses on their own. This will in itself provide an answer to the problem of unemployment. 

He said if all the schemes of MSME's are properly and effectively implemented then the prevailing regional economic imbalances can be solved.

Mishra also focused on the need to revise the definition of MSMEs to help them remain globally competitive.

“The government is keen to revise the definition of MSMEs to ensure that they are able to keep pace with the changing business environment,” said Mishra.