The Golden Bird of Orients- that was Ancient India, renowned the world over for unique items produced by its cottage & small industry! This was the reason that British were attracted towards our Golden Country which also ironically brought about the downfall of the cottage & small industry & the decline continued in post-independent India.

IIA came into being In 1985 with the resolve to revive and work for the cause of the cottage&small industry.

In its 26 years journey, IIA has contributed to the growth of Micro,Small & Medium enterprises sector through its diverse activities and programmes, the more important ones are being covered here.

ENABLINGENVIRONMENT

In 1987, IIA submitted a proposal for formulation of 'Laghu Udyog Bandhu” at state level which was accepted by Hon CM Vir Bahadur Singh. Thus, Udyog Bandhu concept in U.P. is the initiative of IIA which is now playing a major role in resolving issues and problems of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises.

With the objective of creating a favourable environment for the overall growth of small industry of UP., 7 State level Conventions were organized by IIA from 1988 to 1998.

Biggest National Convention of MSME was organized by IIA in October 2010 at Lucknow attended by more than 1000 delegates. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the Chief Guest for the occasion. H.E. B.L. Joshi, Governor of U.P, Sri Atul Gupta Chief Secretory U.P, Dr. H.P. Kumar CMD NSIC, Sri Arun Kumar Mishra, Industrial Development Commissioner U.P, Sri V.N. Garg, Principal Secretory I.D. U.P, Dr. Amrendra Sahu, Regional Director RBI and Sri N. Raman, ED SIDBI also graced the occasion and addressed the MSME's.

MEDIA & PUBLICITY

October 1993 saw the first issue of MSME news bulletin, IIA News which is a magazine of the MSME, by the MSME & for the MSME! Every month, the news bulletin carries theme based stories relevant to the sector thus urging them to think, act and grow.

Intensive work on IIA website began in 2002 and today it is being viewed in around 60 countries world over, receiving more than 10000 hits per day. It offers latest information
and lot of facilities for the members such as Buy-Sell Desk, IIA Members online Directory, latest Tenders, Notifications/Circulars, around 1000 project profiles, Exporters directory, Placement Services, Special offers to members, MSME News update, Important Links to all websites related to industrial development and much more! The unique facility of MSME Product & Services enables the MSME entrepreneurs wide exposure and easy access to the International Market. IIA Members are being offered the facility of Web s i te De s i g n , Uploading and Maintenance @Rs. 500 per annum - which is the cheapest anywhere - under MSME Products and Services.

INFORMATION&CONSULTANCY

In 2003, Small Industries Information Service Centre now called MSME Knowledge Bank(MKB) – a unique venture of Indian Industries Association and SIDBI was initiated at IIA Head Office. Its main objective is to fulfill the specific information and consultancy needs of MSMEs. Under this initiative, an MSME Data Centre has been established containing following information pertaining to the MSME sector in an easily accessible manner in both offline and online modes–

• Queries of the entrepreneurs received in the knowledge bank
• Policies/Acts/Laws of the Central & State Govts
• Govt Schemes forMSMEs
• Notifications/Circulars/GO's issued by the various Ministries/Deptts/ Organizations of the Central&State Govts
• Project Profiles/Reports
• MSME Stat i st i c s - I nternational/ National/ States
• MSME Technologies
• MSME Machinery/RawMaterials
• MSME Study/SurveyReports

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

One of the other major activities of IIA is to organize business development programmes for Micro Small and Medium industries. In the year 2004, the first “India Food Expo” was organized at the National level for providing a boost to the Food Processing industries. A National Exposition& Seminar held each year from 2004 to 2008 to showcase the immense potential of the state & country in the food processing sector. 5 expos were organized from 2004 to 2008, national level seminars were also organized simultaneously with the expo each year.

By the year 2006, the IIA Exhibitions had gained immense popularity & attracted visitors from abroad also. Delegations from UK, Israel, Maxico, Pakistan and Angola visited the Expositions organized by IIA.

Industrial Exhibitions and Buyer Seller Meets are organized by IIA Chapters regularly. Saharanpur, Meerut, Noida and Agra Chapters are organizing such events every year regularly.

Since 2008, IIA has regularly sent business delegations of IIA Members to International trade fairs especially to the Canton Fair of China.

We have also organized several Business Development programmes in collaboration with the High Commission of Trinidad & Tobago, High Commission of Australia, Brazil Chamber of Commerce, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador etc.

POLICY INTERVENTION

IIA is actively involved at the National level in policy formulation for the Micro, Small & Medium enterprises. For the first time, IIA was nominated a member of SSI Board in 1998, since then it has represented in several important national level bodies.

IIA represented Northern India in the first High level Task Force on MSMEs constituted by the Hon PM, it has also been a member of the National Board of MSME & a member of the RBI Standing Advisory Committee on MSME. At the State level also, IIA is a representative in all the committees related to industrial development.

IIA is also a member of Planning Commission's Working Groups on “MSME Growth' and “Human Resource Development with focus on Skill Development and Labour Flexibility” and the sub-groups constituted under these groups. It has submitted a no. of MSME-friendly proposals to the Planning Commission which found its place in the final recommendations.

NETWORKING & PARTNERSHIPS FOR MSME GROWTH

IIA is working in collaboration with various National organizations like NSIC, SIDBI IIM & other industrial associations for the development of the small industry.

In October 2010, IIA and NSIC signed a MOUwith NSIC for facilitating MSMEs to avail the facilities provided by NSIC.

In Nov this year, a MOU has been signed between IIA and SIDBI to facilitate MSME financing, details may be seen in the Dec 11 issue of I I A news as we l l as at http://www.iiaonline.in/important/sidbiLoan.php.

In partnership with IIM Lucknow, an SME conclave is held every year by IIA. Three conclaves have been held so far since 2009.

IIA is playing an active role in International programmes of World Bank & UNCTAD for MSMEs and is also a member of partnership programme of ZDH/SEQUA Germany for Capacity Building programme of the association.

Friend inNeed…

One of the major activities of IIA is to get the problems of MSMEs resolved at various levels, these problems are taken up at chapter as well as Head Office level. IIA Chapters are the base of all activities of IIA where MSMEs meet&brainstorm on different issues once or twice a month. Chapter Chairmen play a crucial role in all the activities.

To facilitate the entrepreneurs to access, fill up and print the various required forms/NOC/Approvals etc anywhere, anytime, IIA designed & implemented for the first time in the country, a unique Single Table System (STS) website for the Govt of U.P. STS has benefited not only the entrepreneurs but also the concerned government departments which are able to monitor the progress and status of the application submitted with them online on the computers in respective offices. Based on this Website, Govt. of U.P have launched a modified version of the website named Nivesh Mitra which is applicable all overU.P now.

Studies and Industrial Surveys are regularly conducted to organize relevant programmes for MSMEs & provide feedback to the Govt.

IIA is a Member of the MSE Facilitation Council of U.P. which is a quasi judicial body. The Council speeds up the payments to MSEs (Micro&Small enterprises) fromtheir buyers. For details please refer to the previous issue of IIA News(Dec 11), application form for Petition filingmay be accessed at:

http://iiaonline.in/mkb/Application Form fo Petition filing in MSE Facilitation Council,UP.pdf.

The Association also provides guidance/file applications on behalf of its members under the RTI Act 2005 for seeking important information from various departments/Ministries etc.

IIA is registered as an Udyami Mitra under the Central Govt's Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana and provides handholding support to first generation entrepreneurs for establishing their units.

FUTURE PLANS FOR MSME GROWTH

IIA plans to convert the present MSME Data Centre into an e-Data Centre which shall also facilitate in Networking with its Chapters and amongst the chapters.

We also plan to take up studies and Surveys related to theMSMEsector and a B-2- BPortal for their business development.

Other plans include Strengthening National Liaison Office and Networking with other MSME Associations, organizing Capacity Building Programmes for IIA Office Bearers & Executives as well as Business Delegations/Ti-ups with Germany, ASEAN, SAARC, Latin American Countries etc.