Minister Narayan Rane launches Forum for Internet Retailers, Sellers and Traders
Union Minister Narayan Rane also announced the launch of a report ‘State of the retail in India: 2023’ that surveys 22,761 Indian MSMEs across 13 states.
Union Minister Narayan Rane, on Wednesday, announced the launch of FIRST (Forum for Internet Retailers, Sellers, and Traders) in an event in New Delhi. The forum aims to help small retailers adopt digital transformation and grow their businesses. The event saw the presence of more than 400 retailers and seller organisations.
The aim of FIRST is to educate and assist MSMEs in India about the opportunities that will empower them to go digital. More than 17,200 businesses across retail, trade and commerce have registered with the forum.
“Indian MSMEs are the backbone of our economy and they need to be provided with all support to expand their livelihood. I am happy for the constitution of FIRST which will help digitisation and growth of MSMEs,” said Rane, addressing the event.
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Bhanu Pratap Verma, Minister of the State; BB Swain, Secretary, Ministry of MSME; and Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, were also present at the event.
Rane also announced the launch of a report titled, “State of the retail in India: 2023,” to understand the adoption and relevance of digital technology by the retailer.
Around 22,761 Indian MSMEs from 13 different states, including Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, were surveyed for the report.
The report demonstrates how ecommerce platforms have made it possible for MSMEs to use supply chain optimization and other technological advancements to satisfy new consumer needs.
Edited by Kanishk Singh
