GUWAHATI, Nov 5 - The global competitiveness of �Atmanirbhar� Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of Assam bolsters its competitive advantage with leaner and nimble infrastructure and services industry of the region, according to experts.
This view emerged during a webinar organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Guwahati on Tuesday.
Several experts from industry fraternity, government sector and academicians discussed the potential of SMEs from the industry and policy perspective.
DK Kamra, Executive Director of the Airports Authority of India, said domestic economic issues related to employment growth, consumption, investments and trade are demand and supply-driven and related to business potential.
Kamra said airlines are an add-on in the value chain of business as it helps not only in market connectivity but also in opening vistas of opportunities in Assam. He added that there are myriad of business potential in Assam, especially in eco-tourism, tea sector, food and agro-allied sectors, adventure tourism and connectivity with South-East Asian countries, among many others.
Delving on the growth potential of the industry, infrastructure and SMEs in Assam, Madhuchanda Adhikari, Deputy General Manager (Corporate Communications) at Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, said the competitive advantage of environment-friendly business products and services are an add-on to the efficacy and growth potential.
She said Assam has human resources potential that could be leveraged for its vital business growth and development.
Abdur Rehman Mallick, advocate at the Delhi High Court, and JP Shaw, former regional director (East) for India Tourism, Kolkata, Ministry of Tourism, said the coal, cement, oil, tea and textile sectors in Assam are evolving and has a huge market and business development potential.
Sunil Bajpai, Principal Advisor at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), said the services sector, along with the telecommunication sector, is changing the dynamics of the market and the potential marketability of products of SMEs.
He said data, information and knowledge-driven industries are leveraging the potential of technology and communication to market products. Bajpai added that initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, Stand Up India, and Van Dhan Yojana for �tribal products� are game-changers in the market arena.
He said structural reforms are helping in greater macroeconomic stability and increasing productivity with better quality products and services.
YGSC Kishore Babu, Deputy Director General at the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, said telecommunication provides the infrastructure for SMEs.
He said it is pertinent that the services sector, along with other tertiary sectors, are also providing a competitive advantage to the manufacturing sector by better service delivery with effective and efficacious quality of services.
Sayak Nandi from India Tourism, and Nilotpol Dutta, an airlines industry professional, said the railways, roadways and airlines connectivity have added to the tapestry of opportunities for the entrepreneurial sectors also.
The webinar was coordinated by Samrat Bandyopadhyay, Joint Director (Media and Communication) of PIB Guwahati.
Pallav Chakravorty, Deputy Director of PIB, welcomed the experts.
Students, senior journalists and officials from Doordarshan, Regional Outreach Bureau, Guwahati, and All India Radio, Guwahati, were also present on the occasion.
