Sri Vijaya Puram | January 07, 2026
The Hon’ble Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Mr. Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is on an official visit to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, chaired a review and awareness programme on January 6 to assess the progress, outreach, and impact of MSME initiatives in the Union Territory.
The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and was attended by senior officers from the Ministry of MSME, officials of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, representatives of line departments, financial institutions, and MSME stakeholders from across the Islands.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister shared his vision in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s goal of “Viksit Bharat @ 2047”, highlighting MSMEs as a critical driver of economic growth, innovation, and employment generation. He interacted with officials and stakeholders to review ongoing initiatives, discuss challenges, and explore emerging opportunities for MSME development in the Islands. Emphasizing the need to strengthen entrepreneurship, he stressed improving access to credit, enhancing skill development, and ensuring timely and effective implementation of MSME schemes to promote sustainable growth and employment.
The day also marked a significant milestone with the Andaman & Nicobar Administration considering M/s KPMG for engagement as the State Programme Implementation Unit (SPIU) for implementing the Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme of the Ministry of MSME. On the occasion, the Union Minister handed over the Letter of Consideration to the representative of M/s KPMG.
The Minister’s visit and the review meeting reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to accelerating MSME growth in geographically remote regions such as the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, while enhancing awareness among local entrepreneurs about the benefits and opportunities available under various MSME support programmes.
Earlier, Mr. Vinamra Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, made a detailed presentation outlining the objectives, achievements, and impact of flagship MSME schemes, with a special focus on their implementation in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Secretary (Industries), Andaman & Nicobar Administration, in his address, provided an overview of the MSME ecosystem in the Islands, highlighting growth potential as well as key challenges faced by entrepreneurs, including logistics, infrastructure, market access, and availability of institutional credit. He sought continued support and guidance from the Ministry to further strengthen the sector.
The meeting witnessed active participation from the MSME–Development & Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), Coir Board, financial institutions, and other stakeholders, reflecting a coordinated approach towards MSME development in the Union Territory.
