There is so much that small and medium units can contribute to e-governance initiatives here, according to Rahul Gupta, Chairman, SME chapter, Manufacturers Association of Information Technology (MAIT).

MAIT is the apex body representing the country’s hardware, training and R&D services sectors. Gupta was here to participate in the ‘ICT SME Conclave’ that the Association hosted here.

Lack of awareness

Gupta specifically mentioned to the presentation made by S Ajith, Head, e-governance, Kerala IT Mission, during the conclave. “It was an eye-opener for all of us. We’re convinced that SMEs can contribute a lot to e-governance, if given the opportunity,” he said.

But overall, Gupta said, he could discern a glaring lack of awareness among Kerala’s SME crowd about several schemes and offers made available by the government.

“We’ve been trying to reach out to the people on these. The series of conclaves is a big achievement and revelation for us but we have merely scratched at the surface. We have to find more and more ways of reaching out to lakhs of SMEs in the country and tell what these schemes are and how they stand to benefit,” Gupta said.

Funding needs

As far he could see, the audience in Thiruvananthapuram was fully willing to take advantage of these initiatives and benefit from them. One could also experience their disillusionment with funding requirements and individual experience with banks, he said.

It would be much better if, instead of trying on its own, a unit gets itself registered with the Union Ministry of MSME that costs only ₹15,000.

“Let its application go through the Ministry or the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and let’s see what the bank says. This is the suggestion that I gave the audience which it readily accepted,” he said.

Alignment of interests

Gupta agreed that GTech (Group of Technology Companies in Kerala) can handhold the units but it had to be done in an organised manner.

“I would like to associate with GTech so that we have some sort of a collaborative platform. And it will be very easy for me to rope in the NSIC and the Union Ministry of MSME into the platform.”

According to Gupta, an alignment of interests has to take place between different industry bodies such as Nasscom (software), MAIT (hardware) or the NSIC.

The audience in Thiruvananthapuram had lapped up his suggestion that they make a full appliance at home instead of selling the software along with its IP ownership.

This needs a kind of self-awakening, which can take long time realising. It will take quite a while for people to be aware they can make fully owned products here in India.

“I think MSMEs in Kerala are ready to join the Make in India campaign. I could feel a lot of interest and enthusiasm amongst them,” Gupta said.

Lead IT city

He also found huge potential for a public sector company such as Keltron in the Make in India campaign.

“I personally feel that Thiruvananthapuram has everything going for it to become the lead IT city of Kerala. Look at the vast expanse of manpower, huge facilities, massive infrastructure – it has got all. This is absolutely the right phase for the state to help enable MSMEs make the big leap,” Gupta added.

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