World Trade Center Bhubaneswar under the Export Facilitation Cell by the MSME Department, Government of Odisha organized a virtual meeting with EEPC India with a purview to promote Engineering Goods Exports from the state. The meeting aimed to have a better understanding and adapt collaborative measures to strengthen the engineering goods sector and further provide a way forward.

The virtual meeting was chaired by Shri. Saswat Mishra, IAS, Principal Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Odisha. He deliberated on the significance to identify as well as address the challenges in the sector, enlightened on the Engineering Cluster in Choudwar, Cuttack, almost 6 testing labs to be allocated to private institutions and ICDs to be set up near Bhubaneswar.

Shri. Dilip Sahoo, OAS, Director, Directorate of Export Promotion & Marketing, Government of Odisha in his address highlighted that the Engineering, Chemical and Allied Industry estimates around 15,496 crores which is almost the double of what it was in 2020-21. He highlighted the necessity to streamline and strengthen the sector.

Ms. Anima Pandey, Regional Director & Director – Membership, EEPC India shared a detailed presentation on the modalities as well as the role of EEPC India in promoting Engineering Exports from the country, the scope of heavy and light engineering goods, international shows organized by EEPC, trade opportunities in the sector etc.

Mr. Chandrasekhar Mishra, State Convener, IEEMA Odisha in his address deliberated on the scope and opportunities in the electricals goods exports from the state. He also highlighted the role of IEEMA as an apex association plays a primary role to facilitate creation of a conducive environment for the growth of electrical industry by providing key services like Policy Advocacy, Price Variation Clause and is the best source of latest global electrical tenders.

Earlier in the session, Mr. Pawan Sureka, Convener, EEPC India, Cuttack (Odisha) Chapter in his welcome address briefed the State Government’s initiatives to rejuvenate as well as facilitate the growth and development of the MSME sector. He admired the focus of Government of Odisha towards the export promotion from the state. He further highlighted the issues and possibilities in the sector, infrastructure development which needs to be prioritized, incentivisation of export linked with performance, significance of skilled manpower, set up of ICDs around Bhubaneswar etc.

Ms. Nimeshika Natarajan, Assistant Director, World Trade Center Bhubaneswar proposed to educate and raise awareness among the mass to enhance the export scenario in the engineering goods sector and proposed to assist the MSMEs to work on the production, quality assurance, market outreach and value addition to further explore the global market.

Mr. Bibhuti Bhusana Dash,(IOFS), Special Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Odisha, Mr. Kousik Bhattacharjee, Assistant Director, EEPC India and Mr. P.K Mohanty, PRO, DEPM also joined the session.

As a way forward, it was further agreed upon by both the organizations to mutual cooperate with the following steps to be taken:

1.       B2B Meetings with foreign countries

2.       Facilitate participation of MSMEs in International Trade Shows and arrange for exposure visits

3.       Meetings to be organized with existing exporters

4.       To conduct VDP with PSUs in Odisha as well as national PSUs

5.       Skilling programs to train and raise awareness to focus on manufacturing from the state

6.       Export Oriented courses to be structured

7.       To conducts Global Survey meetings and International Sourcing Shows

8.       Meeting with the existing exporters/manufacturers in the sector to be organized

9.       Infrastructure facility specially an ICD in and around Bhubaneswar to be facilitated

The meeting was held on a virtual platform on 22^ndMay, 2023.