Dr. Lakshmanan S., IAS Secretary, Government of Assam Industries, Commerce & PE Department, Assam to Business North East emphasized on the significant rise of women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Assam's business landscape. He noted that Assam has around 5.8 lakh registered MSME units out of which a substantial number is led by women entrepreneurs.
The Ministry of MSME now focuses on advancing the quality of capabilities of these women-led enterprises including registrations, integration of general portal systems, and ONDC certifications for open networking. Dr. Lakshmanan mentioned, "A critical aspect of this support involves technical training and skill development. The Department of Industries is pivotal in this endeavor, offering training programs under the Ministry of MSME and state government initiatives. Each district has a District Industries and Commerce Center (DICC) headed by a General Manager, supported by Functional Managers and Extension Officers. These centers conduct training for entrepreneurs, covering essential topics like registration, product branding, and market access."
In order to guide entrepreneurs, the Indian government has offered a series of short videos that teach pivotal aspects of business, how to start, register, and market strategies along with self-learning approach. The government also launched a scheme in Assam and other states named Rapid Acceleration of MSME Performance (RAMP) that focuses on catalyzing the performance of women-led MSMEs. These schemes implement a holistic approach to the development of women entrepreneurs.
