Last week, Laghu Udyog Bharati (Goa Chapter) organised MSME Adhiveshan 2.0 at the recently concluded Amazing Goa Summit and Expo in Goa. Laghu Udyog Bharati is a registered all-India organisation of micro, small and medium industries in India since 1991, and the Goa chapter, which was installed under the leadership of Rajkumar Kamat in 2023, currently has 100-plus members.
The keynote speaker, Maheshwar Marathe, spoke on the new era of incentives for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He briefed on the main challenges faced by MSMEs and, pointing out liquidity-related problems as one of these, underlined that the recent government initiatives have mostly resolved this liquidity issue.
“The only point is awareness amongst the MSMEs, adoption, and implementation. Such prominent initiatives include MSME TReDS, MSME Samadhaan, and MSME ODR. Additionally, there are many other incentives by the central government, which include the GIFT scheme, SPICE scheme, LEAN scheme, CLUSTER scheme, etc.,” stated Marathe.
“All in all, it is time for MSMEs to understand that liquidity is profit and focus on liquidity,” he quipped.
Presently, the government is promoting green technology and a circular economy through recycling and is incentivising investments made by the MSMEs through upfront subsidies, interest subvention, and credit guarantees. All these account for new-era incentives for the MSME sector. All in all, he pointed out that it’s time for MSMEs to understand that liquidity is profit and focus on liquidity.
The second keynote speaker, Abhay B. Fulke, senior scientist at CSIR-NIO Mumbai, spoke on ‘Waste to Wealth: R&D Innovation for Transforming India’s Bioeconomy’ and stated that India stands tall not only as a consumer of global technology but also as a leader in developing solutions that address major environmental problems.
“In recent years, our government has launched several initiatives, programmes, and policies aimed at bridging the gap between laboratory research and the commercial-scale applications that drive our industries,” stated Fulke, who has pioneered a transformative bio-reactor technology to tackle two pressing challenges of our time – plastic pollution and the need for renewable energy.
The novel bio-reactor technology developed utilises the unique ability of the bacterium ‘Pseudomonas mendocina ABF786’ to biodegrade plastics while simultaneously producing biodiesel. This dual-purpose system represents a breakthrough in environmental sustainability. The carbon dioxide produced during the plastic breakdown is captured and utilised to cultivate microalgae, which in turn leads to a 200 percent increase in algal biomass that is further converted into microalgal biodiesel.
Additionally, another product made from plastic is biocalcite using a marine bacterium. The efficiency of this process can be increased, provided we utilise a continuous reactor with a larger volume of starting materials along with the addition of depleted nutrients. This innovation aligns with the recently launched national circular economy for plastic reduction in India.
It is a technology that not only tackles the growing crisis of plastic waste but also provides renewable energy sources and sustainable replacements for petroleum-based fuels that align with our nation’s commitment to sustainability. It reflects our efforts to shift from chemical-based industries to bio-based solutions, which are critical in the fight against climate change. As we look to the future, let us continue to support innovations like these that serve both our people and our planet.
The programme also saw a panel discussion on ‘Opportunities and Challenges Facing MSMEs in Goa’, moderated by LUB executive committee member Pallavi Salgaocar, with panellists Pravimal Abhishek IAS - MD GIDC, Manguirish Raikar, Assocham Goa chairman, Aniruddh Dempo, president GSIA, P.P. Kulkarni, assistant director MSME DFO Goa, and LUB executive council member Rahul Parab. The panellists discussed the initiatives of the central and state governments for MSMEs and some of the pressing problems of MSMEs, including access to easy finance, cash flow, adoption of ESG and new digital technologies, and recruiting skilled labour in Goa, amongst others.
There was also a vendor development programme by the heads of public sector units from NBCC, Mormugao Port Trust, Goa Shipyard, and ONGC. The MSME awards were also given on the occasion. The start-up category award was given to ‘Lit Air’ founders Rohan Nadkarni and Sachin Shah, the scale-up category award went to the owners of Zantye’s Cashewnuts (Pravin Zantye, Siddharth Zantye, and Rohit Zantye), and the women-led MSME category award was given to entrepreneur Sneha Bhagwat of Oorja Wellness Centre.
There was also a change in the leadership of Laghu Udyog Bharati Goa Chapter. Rajkumar Kamat handed over the presidentship to me for the term 2025-27. The new office bearers are Mudit Agarwal, general secretary; Jayesh Raikar, vice president; Vibhor Keny, treasurer; and Rahul Parob, joint secretary.
The event was attended by Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho along with former union minister Suresh Prabhu, who complimented Laghu Udyog Bharati Goa Chapter for organising the programme and driving towards a future filled with innovation, growth, and prosperity for Goa’s business community.
[The writer is Laghu Udyog Bharti Goa State President, Assocham Goa Empowerment Chair and GCCI Managing Committee Member]
