They are filling the space left vacant by banks and helping small and medium units procure funds.

Online portals line up to assist SMEs 

Business Standard

We have imported certain materials under Advance Authorisation without duty payment. We have already fulfilled the export obligation. Can we now export goods manufactured from such duty free materials under claim of duty drawback at All Industry Rates under the new notification no.

'Duty drawback can be claimed if export obligation is fulfilled'

The high cost at which credit is made available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is the foremost impediment to enhancing their growth and competitiveness in the domestic and global market, and also drives them to sickness.

Costly credit a major cause of SME sickness, says survey

Nokia Tej, an enterprise solution devised by mobile handset maker Nokia that leverages the mobile device to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) streamline complex and time-consuming business processes and become more competitive, has caught the fancy of SMEs.

SMEs adopt Nokia enterprise solution to enhance efficiency

The unscheduled power cuts on a daily basis, coupled with the State Road Transport Corporation strike for the past four weeks and the ongoing bandh in Andhra Pradesh, are adversely impacting the small units in the state. Some of these are on the verge of turning sick.

Smaller units on the verge of turning sick in Andhra Pradesh

Beedi manufacturers in Tamil Nadu are moving their manufacturing activities to West Bengal due to rising wage costs, labour shortages and central and state government policies. The recent state government decision to enforce value added tax (VAT) on tobacco-related products is also affecting the industry.

Tamil Nadu beedi makers move to West Bengal

Ban on mining in Bellary halts supplies of iron ore &mdash; a key input.

Foundry industry in Rajkot hits road block

The growing power crunch in Karnataka will have a huge impact on the small and medium industries in the state, said the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI). The state has small and medium industries like the textile, machine tools, automobile ancillary among others.

Power cuts to hit SME sector hard

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) feel that adverse market conditions and an unfavourable policy and business milieu raises the transaction cost of business, which eventually brings them to the verge of sickness.

Unfriendly biz milieu causes sickness: survey

With the SME Exchange of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) set to be launched after Diwali, Ashok Monga, the managing director of Rhydburg pharmaceuticals, a Dehradun-based small company, is busily studying the nitty-gritty of planning an initial public offer (IPO) to raise capital.

SME exchange targets small towns, cities

Our client had supplied certain goods to various SEZ units during the last two to three years. Unfortunately, no bill of export was prepared for the same to claim incentives like Duty Drawback/DEEC benefits, etc. However, ARE1 is prepared and the same are duly endorsed by SEZ Customs. Even jurisdictional Central Excise Authority has admitted proof of exports against UT-1 on the basis of ARE1 endorsed by SEZ Customs.

'Bill of export cannot be filed after goods have been supplied'

The number of units that may list from day one is likely to dip from what was envisaged about three months ago.

Market volatility clouds Gujarat SMEs' listing dreams

A large majority of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the building and construction sector are upbeat about the future and are looking to expand their business.

Small units are optimistic

Indian brick makers, a majority of whom are SMEs, are undergoing a complete makeover through the adoption of mechanisation following the entry of international technology providers and producers. Entrepreneurs are also bringing in product innovation.There are about 35 plants across India, including semi-automatic and fully-automatic ones, which are already operational. Many other modern plants are under construction. Analysts believe that increased difficulties in handling labour, maintaining quality and meeting the increased demand for better-quality bricks have forced brick kiln entrepreneurs to rethink their production processes and also led to product innovation. As a result, many entrepreneurs are diversifying into resource efficient bricks (REBs) by importing machinery from overseas.

Brick industry opts for automation, innovation

A large majority &ndash; 76.7 per cent &ndash; of the companies participating in a survey of SMEs in the Indian electronics and electricals industry, carried out by IndiaMART Knowledge Services, expects their growth prospects to improve in the next quarter. Only 11.9 per cent said they have low expectations from the next quarter, and 11.4 per cent see no change.

Electricals industry upbeat on growth prospects

We had obtained an advance authorisation. We got the authorisation invalidated for direct imports and obtained the inputs from local suppliers against the invalidation. We could not export the final products. Now, we have been asked to pay the notional customs duty on the locally procured inputs. We are of the view that on locally procured goods, we should be asked to pay only the excise duty.

'Goods needed for multilaterally funded projects exempt from CVD'

Private Equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) investment rose by 29 per cent to $648 million (around Rs 2,916 crore) in the period January-September 2011, compared to $500 million (around Rs 2,250 crore) in the corresponding period of 2010. The number of deals rose by 21 per cent during this period.

PE, VC investments in small units rise 29%

The MSME sector provides livelihood to more than 60 million people, adds 1.3 million jobs every year and contributes 17 per cent of our GDP. Yet, the government does not give this sector high priority, and a policy shift is needed, says Gaurav Marya, president of Franchise India Holding Limited, an integrated franchisee solution provider company.

Q&A: Gaurav Marya, President, Franchise India Holding Limited

The growth of Indian leather exports &ndash; a sector dominated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) &ndash; is likely to stall this year due to volatile economic conditions in the European markets and the steep increase in raw material and input prices, which has eroded margins by 50 per cent, said industry representatives.

Leather export units hit

The 100 units that are part of the cluster have benefitted immensely.

Mohali cluster helps bath fittings units

We had imported certain goods and stored them in a bonded warehouse. Now, we want to export the same to another party (not the supplier).

'Importers of goods free to re-export for forex'

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