Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said on Thursday that the Indian MSME sector is the backbone of the country’s economy.

"MSME Sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and today’s event marks a new chapter in our journey towards a skilled and empowered India. Empowering rural entrepreneurs would also be the priority in order to ensure holistic growth of the MSME Sector," Manjhi said in an event in New Delhi.

Manjhi, Union Minister for MSME and Minister of State(MSME) Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, inaugurated the New Skill Development Training Programme at NSIC Technical Service Centre (NTSC) in Okhla.

The event witnessed the presence of S.C.L. Das, Secretary (MSME), Mercy Epao, JS-SME, and Dr. S.S Acharya, CMD, NSIC.

The inauguration ceremony commenced with a welcome by Dr. S.S Acharya, who emphasized the critical role of skill development in bolstering the MSME sector.

He highlighted the NSIC’s commitment to providing world-class training facilities to empower the youth and budding entrepreneurs.

A pivotal moment of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NSIC and M/s Drone Destination.

This MoU aims to integrate advanced drone technology training into the skill development programs, offering MSMEs a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Further strengthening the support for MSMEs, MoUs were also signed with three banks under NSIC’s Credit Facilitation scheme.

During the event new skill development training programmes were launched.

These programmes are meticulously designed to equip entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in their respective fields.

Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, while addressing the gathering, said, "Our focus is to create a robust ecosystem that nurtures talent and fosters innovation. These training programmes are a step towards realizing this vision.”

Secretary(MSME) in his address said that MSMEs in technology sector are the key enterprises that would contribute in making India a drone-hub of the world and in this journey no stone would be left unturned by the Ministry. 

An exhibition was also held at the venue wherein passed out trainees from NSIC, who are now entrepreneurs, came and showcased their products.

Both the Ministers interacted with the entrepreneurs at their stalls, congratulated them for their success and motivated them.