As against the existing six clusters in Gujarat recognised by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has suggested the development of 16 new clusters which could accommodate 32,000 small and medium enterprises and provide 6.5 lakh jobs directly and indirectly.

Gujarat has scope for 16 new SME clusters: ASSOCHAM

Business Standard

The city&rsquo;s SME cluster, which has evolved over the past few decades around defence research establishment activities, is getting ready for an all-new business environment provided by the offset policy.

Defence cluster sees big business

In a study on the need for financial support for MSMEs, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has emphasised that conventional methods of financing need to be supplemented by non-conventional measures as well, pointing out that the government itself believes in the need for non-conventional ways of providing finance.

Non-conventional finance needed: CII

We are manufacturing readymade garments on behalf of a brand name owner. We affix his brand name on the goods that we clear. We do not have any other clearances in our own name.

'Job workers using own inputs must comply with excise law'

The chemicals market picked up pace in 2010, according to a majority of SMEs (58.3 per cent) taking part in a survey of the chemicals sector conducted by IndiaMART Knowledge Services.

Chemicals sector took off in 2010: Survey

The Indian salt industry is embarking on a modernisation exercise to increase salt yields and improve quality. The Indian Salt Manufacturers&rsquo; Association (ISMA) proposes to establish model salt farms in all major salt growing states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka.

Salt manufacturers' body to start model farms

Parveen Travels (P) Ltd., a company that operates 60 inter-city buses across the four southern states, connecting 55 destinations and carrying 2,000 passengers every day, is poised to convert itself from an operator of bus services to a full-fledged hospitality player.

Bus operator to enter hospitality

The All India Society for Electronics and Computer Technology (AISECT) was established in 1997 to take the information technology revolution to rural India. It provides rural folk training in IT-related skills, enabling them to gain employment or start an entrepreneurial venture. Pravda Godbole spoke to Santosh Choubey, AISECT&rsquo;s founder and managing director, about the organisation and its future plans.

Q&A: Santosh Choubey, Founder, AISECT

Just a few years ago, Jasbir Kaur (45) of Thuha village in Patiala district could not have dreamt of becoming economically independent at the age of 40. Today, as skilled embroiderers, she and many other women of her village command the respect of male members of their families.

Phulkari empowers women in punjab

Trade officials from Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ), a free-trade zone in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, are in Kerala to identify potential investors from the SME sector.

RAK free-trade zone woos Kerala investors

In light of the vast gap between the demand for and supply of skilled labour available to the Indian textile and clothing industry &ndash; the country&rsquo;s second largest employer after the agriculture sector &ndash; non-government organisations and academic institutes in Bangalore have launched innovative schemes to train the youth and make them &ldquo;industry-ready&rdquo;.

Honing talent for the textile industry

Getting a business off the ground requires a range of skills and expertise that a startup can find daunting and expensive. Outsourcing is an affordable way out. But the focus of outsourcing itself is changing from cost-saving to hiring the best talent at the lowest price.

Just what the doctor ordered for startups

Since there is a single VAT dealer registration, you can use the VAT Credit from the manufacturing activity to pay VAT on trading goods.

'Stock transfer from EOU to DTA is allowed'

Large corporate houses are helping micro and small enterprises (MSEs) to keep pace with the changing times, especially in the matter of introducing innovative measures to help them turn cost-efficient.

Large companies give small units a helping hand

After an initial setback due to the global recession, the Indian information technology (IT) and information technology-enabled services-business process outsourcing (ITES-BPO) industry is back on the high-growth path, according to the findings of a survey of SMEs in the sector, conducted by IndiaMART Knowledge Services (IKS).

'IT, ITES-BPO industry upbeat on 2011 outlook'

In the wake of persistent demands from the MSME (Micro, Small &amp; Medium Enterprises) sector, the Orissa government has decided to examine the possibility of having a separate department for the sector.

Orissa mulls separate department for MSMEs

The lack of institutional credit has been a major impediment to the growth of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in Uttar Pradesh.

Lack of institutional credit biting UP MSMEs

The Tiruchi unit of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) expects around 20 of its 500 local vendors to switch to its comparatively new outsourcing model, &ldquo;away centre fabrication&rdquo; (ACF), in the current financial year.

Bhel's 20 local vendors to switch business model

Lall Lahiri &amp; Salhotra (LLS) is a leading Indian intellectual property (IP) law firm based in Gurgaon. LLS has developed a database of all registered and advertised trademarks in India and an in-house trademark and patent management software. It has also helped establish the Institute of Intellectual Property Research and Practice, to spread awareness of IPR in India. Anuradha Salhotra, managing partner of LLS, talks to Business Standard on IP awareness among Indian SMEs.

Q&A: Anuradha Salhotra, Managing Partner, Lall Lahiri & Salhotra

As of now power projects above the size of 1,000 megawatts also called mega power projects, which import their equipment like boilers, turbines and generators, enjoy a concessional basic customs duty of 2.5 per cent and full exemption from counterveiling duty (CVD).

More power to equipment makers

Industries with a focus on consumers predictably had reasons to cheer after the finance minister decided not to roll back the excise duty by two per cent as expected.

Untouched excise brings relief

SME: Find all the latest news on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in India. Explore more for the top headlines about SME sector on Business Standard.

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