MSME ministry launches Champions 2.0, introduces other initiatives

Union Minister Narayan Rane launched the Champions 2.0 portal, equipped with new technological features, during the World MSME Day celebration at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.

“The newly embedded AI-driven chatbots will ensure faster grievance redressal, reducing turnaround time,” he said in a tweet.

The portal aims to provide support to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in a more inclusive and user-friendly manner, as it will be available in 11 languages, including Hindi, Assamese, Gujarati, Bengali, and Kannada. Additionally, it offers a real-time feedback feature for users.

During a presentation, Dr Rajneesh, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner, Ministry of MSME, emphasised the promotion of technology and innovation within the ministry.

“The primary focus is to address the grievances of MSMEs promptly using technology,” he said.

Champions portal, an ICT-based system for grievance redressal and information dissemination to MSMEs, was launched on June 1, 2020. 

In 2020, the portal received 30,128 grievances, of which 29,778 were successfully resolved. As of 2023, 5,365 grievances have been submitted, with 5,206 resolved. There has been a decline in the number of grievances over the years.

The discussions also revolved around the integration of 5G technology in MSMEs. Recognising the importance of keeping the sector technologically advanced, the ministry extended an invitation to entrepreneurs to share their ideas on the matter.

In addition to the Champions 2.0 launch, the MSME ministry introduced various other initiatives.

MSME Idea Hackathon 3.0

The hackathon aims to encourage women innovators and women-owned MSMEs to contribute ideas across various sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, power, and services. 

The hackathon portal will be active for two weeks from June 27 to July 11, 2023. 

The winners of MSME Hackathon 2.0, held on October 2, 2022, were also announced during the event, which had seen participation from 632 Host Institutions (HIs) nationwide. 

Among the 13,764 ideas received, 276 were declared winners. Each HI is eligible to receive a monetary reward of up to Rs 15 lakh per idea.

PMEGP - Release of Margin Money

The ministry released Rs 400 crore of margin money subsidy to 10,075 PMEGP (Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme) beneficiaries. PMEGP, an initiative administered by the MSME ministry and implemented by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, provides credit-linked subsidies to promote self-employment opportunities. 

Geo-tagging app for MSMEs

Rane also launched a geo-tagging app for MSMEs to facilitate the identification and tracking of projects under the Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP), MSME offices DFOs (Development and Facilitation Office), and testing and technology centers. 

The app will capture coordinates and on-site images of organisational infrastructure and facilities, improving the understanding of project status. The data obtained through geo-tagging will be shared with the PM-Gati Shakti Portal.

Signing of MoUs

The MSME ministry signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with other government organisations, including the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), the Government of Tripura, and the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). 

It also signed an MoU with SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) for the creation and implementation of the PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PMVIKAS) scheme portal. 

MoUs were also signed between the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and other organisations such as the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) and the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC). Additionally, the NSIC signed an MoU with LG Electronics.