Report on Kalpa Webinar Technology, Finance and Policy Support for Coconut MSMEs 6-August 2020 

Jointly Organized by

Kalpa Agri-Business Incubator, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasragod; MSME Development Institute Thrissur; and Kerala Startup Mission

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector plays a significant role in the growth of the economy driven by local talents and local resources. MSME sector in India can play a crucial role by standing, robust on all the five pillars (Infrastructure, System, Dynamic Demography and Demand), thus achieving the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat said Shri. M Palanivel, Director (i/c), MSME Development Institute, Thrissur while inaugurating the Webinar on Technology, Finance and Policy Support for Coconut MSMEs. Shri M Palanivel appreciated and mentioned the importance of organizing these kinds of programmes to reach the target audience.

Dr. Anitha Karun, Director, ICAR- Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, who presided over the function, remarked about the activities and achievements of the institute and ABI, and also indicated important technologies developed by the institute to promote the entrepreneurship. 

Dr. K Muralidharan, Head, Division of Social Sciences, ICAR- CPCRI, in his welcome address highlighted the importance of organizing more such events with the collaboration of similar organization to promote entrepreneurship to become India a 5 trillion economy. 

Shri. Martin P Chacko, Assistant Director, MSME development Institute, Thrissur, key speaker of the webinar, delivered an elaborative and informative talk on the topic; MSME and its importance, amended classification of MSME, Registration process and role of various central and State Govt. organizations ,and redressal mechanism. Shri. Martin covered all the schemes under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: ECLGS and Distressed Asset Fund etc, state and other popular schemes such as, One District One Product (ODOP), and Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) etc, suitable for farmers, individual/group MSMEs, startups, FPOs and SHGs.

Shri. N Kannan, Lead District Manager, Kasaragod, briefed about the schemes and financial supports providing banks for MSMEs. 

The sessions were followed with very active and purposeful discussions on financial, policy and technological aspects. The program came to end by 1.00 PM. There were 220 participants from different walks of life (heads/officials of various organizations, scientists, farmers, SHG members, entrepreneurs, students) joined online and to facilitate this, the video conferencing was streamed live through YouTube.