India stand out during recession becoz of SMEs: MSME minister

K.H. Muniyappa taking charge as the Minister of MSME, in New Delhi on Oct 29.

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Saurabh Gupta | 30 Oct, 2012
After assuming charge as Minister of State with Independent charge of the Ministry of Micro, Medium and Small Enterprise (MSME), K H Muniyappa Monday said that India has excelled during the global slowdown because of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

"One of the major reasons of India's survival during recessing was the support of those SMEs, which remains alive during the worst phase of their life. We are not suffering like other western countries because of our SMEs," he told SME Times on the sidelines a press conference held in New Delhi on Monday.

He said the MSME sector have a great contribution in country's manufacturing output, employment generation and also in exports. The MSME sector contributes 8 percent of the country's GDP, 45 percent of the manufactured output and 40 percent of exports.

In the current year, the Ministry will be spending Rs. 2835.00 crores on the Plan Schemes as against an expenditure of Rs. 2018 crores during 2011-12, he added.

Speaking on the issue of FDI fear among SMEs, he told media, "With FDI coming in, it does not mean that it will be a problem for indigenous industry (SMEs)."

"Our people have to make quality products at par with international ones, to compete globally," he added.

Muniyappa replaced Vayalar Ravi who had additional charge of the Ministry of MSME.

Present on the occasion were Vivek Rae, (Secretary MSME), Amarendra Sinha, (AS & DC) and H.P. Kumar, (CMD), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), Arun Kumar Jha, Director General, NIESBUD.

Muniyappa was re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha on his 6th term from Kolar constituency in Karnataka. He was elected to Lok Sabha earlier in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. Born on 7th March 1948 in Karnataka, Muniyappa has obtained degrees of B.A and LLB from Bangalore University, Karnataka.

Muniyappa was the Union Minister of State for Railways previously.