CII MSME Conclave 2.0 Inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma and Industry Minister Shri Lakhan Lal Devangan

The CII MSME Conclave 2.0 was inaugurated in Raipur by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma and Industry Minister Shri Lakhan Lal Devangan. Over 250 entrepreneurs, policymakers and industry representatives participated, discussing ease of doing business, innovation, technology, finance and a better business environment to empower MSMEs. The opening session highlighted the crucial role of small industries in Chhattisgarh’s industrial and economic development and the need for better laws, road connectivity and swift approvals. The state government is committed to providing such an environment and has formulated an industry policy inclusive of MSMEs. The Industry Minister emphasized that MSMEs are at the centre of the state’s industrial development policy and that entrepreneurs in regions like Bastar and Surguja will receive the same support as in the capital. The Chairman of CSIDC, Rajiv Agarwal, noted that ready land and plug‑and‑play infrastructure will help small industrial units start production quickly. CII Chhattisgarh Chairman Bajrang Goyal described MSMEs as the backbone of the state’s industrial value chain and affirmed CII’s role as a bridge between industry and government. Panel co‑ordinator Aditya Mundra highlighted technology, finance and compliance improvement as three pillars of MSME growth. A special session on financing and ease of doing business featured Joint Secretary Vinamra Mishra of the Ministry of MSME, who reported that more than 73 million enterprises have been registered since 2020 and credit guarantee schemes have crossed the one‑crore mark, and briefed on revised MSME classification limits effective April 2025. Industry Directorate’s Prabhat Malik outlined efforts to simplify single‑window systems, timely approvals and compliance processes. Participants discussed practical issues such as approval timelines, inspections, land allocation and delayed payments. Suggestions from industry leaders including Pankaj Lahoti, Kailash Khemmani and Satish Thaurani will be forwarded to the state government. A session on AI Advantage was conducted by CII panel co‑ordinator Irfan Bukhari, followed by a CEO round‑table on the journey from SME to large corporate. The conclave’s second day will focus on building practical capabilities of MSME professionals, including TPM training to improve equipment efficiency and a Kaizen with AI session on shop‑floor continuous improvement.