Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NSIC, Dr. H.P Kumar signing MoU in the presence of Vice President of the Republic of Botswana, Lt. Gen. Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe in New Delhi.

Saurabh Gupta | 17 Jun, 2010
India's National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), a statutory authority of the government of Botswana, both of which support micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the corresponding countries, signed an agreement of mutual cooperation for the development MSME sectors in the two countries.

The MoU was signed on Wednesday in the presences of the Vice President of Botswana, Lieutenant General Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe, who is in the national capital on a four-day visit. The MoU was signed by H.P Kumar, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NSIC and Dr. T.T.K Matome, Chief Executive Officer, LEA, Botswana.

The MOU envisages setting up of Technology cum Business Incubator Centres, developing policies and Institutional framework for SME development in Botswana.

Briefing about the ten-point MoU, Matome said, "This MoU is to share experiences in development of SME sector, secondly it is to seek assistance of NSIC in process of putting to gather and building incubation facilities, thirdly it is to have skill transfer between the two countries SMEs and also to create linkages between Botswana and Indian SMEs. And finally it is to assisting fit for purpose, efficient and cost effective machinery for our SMEs in Botswana."

After give his thanks to the NSIC team for the development, Dr. Matome also invite Dr H.P Kumar and his team to visit Botswana to help in implementing the MoU and to see what their SME environment in the Republic of Botswana.

The Vice President of Botswana, Merafhe also congratulate both the organizations on signing of MoU. During his address he said, "India is a special country, which is close to my heart." He also said that it was his wish that this mutual cooperation should goes to the ultimate user of MSMEs. "Linking MSMEs with market accessibility is the key of development and NSIC is doing this very well," he added.

Others who were present at the MoU signing ceremony were S. K. Sinha, Director(P&M), NSIC; Ravindra Nath, Director(Fin), NSIC; Oreeditse Molebatsi, Assistant Minister of Agriculture of Botswana and D.A. Kgosietsile, High Commissioner of Botswana.