Centre aims to enhance MSME contribution to GDP from 30 to 50 percent
New Delhi: MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday that he aims to enhance MSME contribution to GDP from about 30 percent to 50 percent, and in exports from 49 percent to 60 percent.
Speaking at a virtual meet organised to launch Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE Atal New India Challenges by NITI Aayog, Gadkari pointed out that his Government was aiming to create 5 crore additional jobs in the MSME sector which presently employs about 11 crore people.
The Minister applauded the Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE Atal New India Challenge initiative of NITI Aayog and called for working in encouraging use of new technology in finding solutions to the problems being faced in different areas ensuring value addition.
He cited the issue of excess rice which can be utilised for producing ethanol thereby addressing the problem of storage on the one hand and providing green fuel to the country as import replacement on the other.
Delving further on the issue, he said risk-taking ability in innovations or finding new solutions need to be promoted and those making bonafide mistakes in the process need to be protected.
The Minister stressed that country’s growth will be further accelerated when the backward and tribal areas including the 115 aspirational districts are brought on a growth trajectory.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the development and growth of these areas which are socially and economically lagging behind.
Gadkari also said we need to work according to the spirit of the Prime Minister’s vision that science should work in solving problems of common people including those from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Minister further advocated broad basing support for innovations and entrepreneurship so that bonafide new talent also get a chance to grow. This helps in lowering costs as well, he added.
Gadkari also felt that performance audit of Schemes for agriculture and ST/SCs will help in better targeting the schemes.
The objective of Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE Atal New India Challenges program is to proactively collaborate with Ministries and the associated industries to catalyze research, innovation, and facilitate innovative solutions to sectoral problems.
