ET Make in India SME Regional Summit in Lucknow to highlight the city’s thriving labour-intensive industries

Following a successful opening in Hyderabad, the Economictimes.com is set to host the second session of ET Make in India SME Regional Summit in Lucknow on May 25. The theme of this session resonates with the city’s speciality in labour-intensive industries, highlighting the craftsmanship and hard work of the MSMEs in the state.

The event will begin with a keynote address by Alok Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, MSME & Export Promotion, Government of Uttar Pradesh. He will deliver a speech on how MSMEs are serving as the growth engine of UP.

The programme will see an engaging fireside chat with Pranjal Yadav, IAS, Secretary, MSME & Export Promotion, Government of Uttar Pradesh, on how to empower the state’s MSMEs to have a global reach. This aligns with the central government’s initiative of “make in India for the world”, giving a boost to the small enterprises of the country.

To register for the Lucknow summit, click here.

This will be followed by a panel discussion on the topic “UP’s Industrialisation and Economic Growth: Finding the Balance between Labour-Intensive Manufacturing and Services”. The panel discussion will gather industry stakeholders, prominent players and entrepreneurs such as Puran Dawar, President of Agra Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Chamber (AFMEC); Gaurav Prakash, Chairman MSME, Confederation of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; and Nikita Khanna, founder of Kaati Carpets. It will end with a networking session between MSMEs, policymakers and industry leaders.

Uttar Pradesh assumes importance in the MSME economy as it is among the top three states in India with a significant contribution to the Indian MSME sector, at 9%, according to a report from CBRE South Asia. According to the Udyam portal, the district of Lucknow has 1,41,648 MSMEs — with 1,36,895 micro industries, followed by 4,347 small enterprises and 406 medium enterprises.

The city’s history with textile and handicrafts dates back to the 16th century. This has today resulted in making it a hub for handcrafted textiles and leather goods. It is home to numerous small and large businesses dealing with exports of apparel, textile and leather.

The ET Make in India SME Regional Summit consists of on-ground events held across the country to bring together local MSMEs, policymakers, enablers and industry stakeholders. These summits aim to discover opportunities, address challenges and promote knowledge-sharing and networking to drive the next phase of growth for Indian MSMEs.

This endeavour will be conducted under the theme “Empowering MSMEs: Driving India's Century of Sustainable Growth”, to champion and fortify Indian MSMEs. Every summit will include a wide range of discussions and sessions, such as panel discussions, masterclasses, and demonstrations of MSME solutions.

The summits this year will be held in the cities of Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kolkata.

The purpose of these regional summits is to increase awareness, promote networking, and support industry-specific learning. These programmes also aim to recognise the efforts and accomplishments of the MSMEs in the respective areas, and assist them in discovering opportunities and strategies to become globally competitive and prepared for the future. The summits will be hosted by Economictimes.com in collaboration with Adobe as the Associate Partner.

To register for the Lucknow summit, click here.