FM’s address at SIDBI’s 20TH Foundation Day
The Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee has expressed hope that the various measures announced in this year’s Budget will revive private investment and put the economy back on the growth path of 9 per cent per annum. Shri Mukherjee was speaking at a programme organized by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in commemoration of SIDBI’s 20th Foundation Day, here today. Stating that micro finance has emerged as a new channel of economic empowerment and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, the Minister commended SIDBI for its role in the micro finance arena and for reaching out to over 2 crore beneficiaries through its partner Micro Finance Institutions. Following is the text of Finance Minister’s speech delivered at SIDBI’S 20th Foundation Day:
“It gives me immense pleasure to be amongst all of you to commemorate the 20th Foundation Day of SIDBI. It was fascinating to watch the small film documenting SIDBI’s Journey of 20 years. I compliment SIDBI for enabling numerous MSME entrepreneurs to become successful and for receiving global recognition for its services. It is indeed a matter of great pride and satisfaction that a financial institution envisage for itself such a all-encompassing role enabling the MSME sector to meet all emerging challenges.
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise sector has been a key contributor to the growth story of the Indian economy. This sector contributes 8 percent of the country’s GDP, 45 percent of the manufactured output and 40 percent of our exports and above all, provides employment to nearly 6 crore persons through 2.6 crore enterprises. According to the Eleventh Five Year Plan, the MSEs not only generate the highest employment per capita investment, but have also checked the rural – urban migration by providing villagers and people living in isolated areas with sustainable sources of local employment.
The Government of India has always considered the MSMEs as an important pillar of economic growth and has supported the sector with proactive and growth oriented policies. It is an acknowledged fact that finance is a highly effective tool for creating economic opportunity and fighting poverty. Timely availability of credit to MSMEs is extremely important to meet their growing needs and to help them keep their business lifeline vibrant and progressive. Underlining the Government’s commitment to the MSME sector, Honorable Prime Minister has recently affirmed that the Government aims to double the credit flow to MSME sector within five years. The Prime Minister’s Task Force on MSMEs set up to address various issues and concerns of the sector, has recently submitted its Report and has made a number of recommendations for the sector, which would be examined in a time-bound manner.
You will agree that the year 2009-10 began as a difficult one, with the currents of global financial meltdown still going strong. There was a significant slowdown in the growth rate in the second half of 2008-09 following the financial crisis that began in the industrialised nations in 2007 and spread to the real economy across the world. The good news is that the world economy today seems to be recovering from this severe crisis. The fast-paced recovery of the Indian economy underscores the effectiveness of the policy response of the Government in the wake of this financial crisis. However , I must commend the resilience and dynamism that our MSMEs have displayed in the times of difficulty – once again reaffirming our faith in their capability to catalyze the nation’s economic growth.
We expect the economy to grow by 7.2% in 2009-10 which is impressive by global standards. I am optimistic that the growth rate will climb back to 8.25-8.75% in 2010-11. In the Union Budget several measures for all-round development of the MSME sector have been announced. The proposed measures include enhancing the allocation to the MSME sector to Rs. 2,400 crore, enhancement in the limit for presumptive taxation, increasing the threshold for compulsory auditing of accounts of small businesses, extension of interest subvention for exports in certain sectors and exemption from capital gains tax to facilitate conversion of small businesses to limited liability partnership (LLP) format. I am optimistic that the measures I have outlined in this year’s Budget will revive private investment and put the economy back on the growth path of 9% per annum.
It is indeed heartening to note that CGTMSE has crossed the 3 lakh guarantee milestone enabling the entrepreneurs to access collateral free and third party guarantee free loans. This also shows that the banking system is also moving towards financing the MSME projects based on their inherent strengths, rather than the collateral offered, thereby ensuring more enterprises to come up in the country. Micro finance has emerged as a new channel of economic empowerment and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. I congratulate SIDBI for its role in the micro finance arena and for reaching out to well over 2 crore beneficiaries – most of whom are poor women, through its partner Micro Finance Institutions.
The launching of Green Ratings by SIDBI , through its Associate – SME Rating Agency of India (SMERA), is truly an innovative initiative to sensitize MSMEs on the importance of becoming environmentally friendly and energy efficient. We all know about the adverse impact of global warming and climate change. MSMEs – owing to their sheer size and number, can be a positive catalyst in our battle against climate change. I would urge all the Banks and Financial Institutions to encourage their MSME clients to go in for Green Ratings.The release of the two reports of SIDBI on the MSME Sector and Corporate Social Responsibility and launch of the MSME dedicated magazine “OPTIMiSM” are credit-worthy initiatives of SIDBI. These reports and magazine are expected to bridge the information gap and provide useful references for policy makers, planners, researchers, and all other stakeholders.
It is heartening that SIDBI has carved out a strategic niche for itself for the last 20 years which has undoubtedly justified the Government’s decision to create an exclusive institution for the MSME sector, way back in 1990. A noteworthy feature of SIDBI’s performance has been its ability to continuously raise funds from various bilateral / multilateral institutions for MSMEs indicating its underlying financial strength and resilience.The awardees today stand true testimony to the splendid spirit of enterprise of the MSME sector and I congratulate all of them on their stellar contribution.
I also compliment Shri Malla and the entire SIDBI team for making our MSMEs strong and vibrant.
Once again, I would like to congratulate SIDBI on its reaching the milestone of 20 years and wish it a still more glorious and fulfilling future.”
The Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee has expressed hope that the various measures announced in this year’s Budget will revive private investment and put the economy back on the growth path of 9 per cent per annum. Shri Mukherjee was speaking at a programme organized by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in commemoration of SIDBI’s 20th Foundation Day, here today. Stating that micro finance has emerged as a new channel of economic empowerment and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, the Minister commended SIDBI for its role in the micro finance arena and for reaching out to over 2 crore beneficiaries through its partner Micro Finance Institutions. Following is the text of Finance Minister’s speech delivered at SIDBI’S 20th Foundation Day:
“It gives me immense pleasure to be amongst all of you to commemorate the 20th Foundation Day of SIDBI. It was fascinating to watch the small film documenting SIDBI’s Journey of 20 years. I compliment SIDBI for enabling numerous MSME entrepreneurs to become successful and for receiving global recognition for its services. It is indeed a matter of great pride and satisfaction that a financial institution envisage for itself such a all-encompassing role enabling the MSME sector to meet all emerging challenges.
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise sector has been a key contributor to the growth story of the Indian economy. This sector contributes 8 percent of the country’s GDP, 45 percent of the manufactured output and 40 percent of our exports and above all, provides employment to nearly 6 crore persons through 2.6 crore enterprises. According to the Eleventh Five Year Plan, the MSEs not only generate the highest employment per capita investment, but have also checked the rural – urban migration by providing villagers and people living in isolated areas with sustainable sources of local employment.
The Government of India has always considered the MSMEs as an important pillar of economic growth and has supported the sector with proactive and growth oriented policies. It is an acknowledged fact that finance is a highly effective tool for creating economic opportunity and fighting poverty. Timely availability of credit to MSMEs is extremely important to meet their growing needs and to help them keep their business lifeline vibrant and progressive. Underlining the Government’s commitment to the MSME sector, Honorable Prime Minister has recently affirmed that the Government aims to double the credit flow to MSME sector within five years. The Prime Minister’s Task Force on MSMEs set up to address various issues and concerns of the sector, has recently submitted its Report and has made a number of recommendations for the sector, which would be examined in a time-bound manner.
You will agree that the year 2009-10 began as a difficult one, with the currents of global financial meltdown still going strong. There was a significant slowdown in the growth rate in the second half of 2008-09 following the financial crisis that began in the industrialised nations in 2007 and spread to the real economy across the world. The good news is that the world economy today seems to be recovering from this severe crisis. The fast-paced recovery of the Indian economy underscores the effectiveness of the policy response of the Government in the wake of this financial crisis. However , I must commend the resilience and dynamism that our MSMEs have displayed in the times of difficulty – once again reaffirming our faith in their capability to catalyze the nation’s economic growth.
We expect the economy to grow by 7.2% in 2009-10 which is impressive by global standards. I am optimistic that the growth rate will climb back to 8.25-8.75% in 2010-11. In the Union Budget several measures for all-round development of the MSME sector have been announced. The proposed measures include enhancing the allocation to the MSME sector to Rs. 2,400 crore, enhancement in the limit for presumptive taxation, increasing the threshold for compulsory auditing of accounts of small businesses, extension of interest subvention for exports in certain sectors and exemption from capital gains tax to facilitate conversion of small businesses to limited liability partnership (LLP) format. I am optimistic that the measures I have outlined in this year’s Budget will revive private investment and put the economy back on the growth path of 9% per annum.
It is indeed heartening to note that CGTMSE has crossed the 3 lakh guarantee milestone enabling the entrepreneurs to access collateral free and third party guarantee free loans. This also shows that the banking system is also moving towards financing the MSME projects based on their inherent strengths, rather than the collateral offered, thereby ensuring more enterprises to come up in the country. Micro finance has emerged as a new channel of economic empowerment and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. I congratulate SIDBI for its role in the micro finance arena and for reaching out to well over 2 crore beneficiaries – most of whom are poor women, through its partner Micro Finance Institutions.
The launching of Green Ratings by SIDBI , through its Associate – SME Rating Agency of India (SMERA), is truly an innovative initiative to sensitize MSMEs on the importance of becoming environmentally friendly and energy efficient. We all know about the adverse impact of global warming and climate change. MSMEs – owing to their sheer size and number, can be a positive catalyst in our battle against climate change. I would urge all the Banks and Financial Institutions to encourage their MSME clients to go in for Green Ratings.The release of the two reports of SIDBI on the MSME Sector and Corporate Social Responsibility and launch of the MSME dedicated magazine “OPTIMiSM” are credit-worthy initiatives of SIDBI. These reports and magazine are expected to bridge the information gap and provide useful references for policy makers, planners, researchers, and all other stakeholders.
It is heartening that SIDBI has carved out a strategic niche for itself for the last 20 years which has undoubtedly justified the Government’s decision to create an exclusive institution for the MSME sector, way back in 1990. A noteworthy feature of SIDBI’s performance has been its ability to continuously raise funds from various bilateral / multilateral institutions for MSMEs indicating its underlying financial strength and resilience.The awardees today stand true testimony to the splendid spirit of enterprise of the MSME sector and I congratulate all of them on their stellar contribution.
I also compliment Shri Malla and the entire SIDBI team for making our MSMEs strong and vibrant.
Once again, I would like to congratulate SIDBI on its reaching the milestone of 20 years and wish it a still more glorious and fulfilling future.”
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