Punjab to facilitate MSMEs in selling products online

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

Soon, a small workshop that manufactures hand tools in Ludhiana or sports goods in Jalandhar can supply its products across the country as e-commerce platforms have approached the state government to become enabler for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) of Punjab.

To facilitate the MSMEs in reducing the transaction cost, approach untapped markets and avoid intermediaries, the state government has signed an MoU with Punjab-based B2B e-commerce player Pumpkart and is in process of signing agreements with Flipkart and Amazon.

“The signing of MoU will go a long way in promoting MSMEs of Punjab. The growth of MSMEs is our priority. I am here to support and encourage new thinking and enterprises who dream big,” said Vini Mahajan, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Punjab.

“The MSME sector is the strength of our state. After a tie-up with Pumpkart, we are now looking at other e-commerce platforms also. I think a lot of awareness is required in this regard. That is why the government has been organising awareness camps to underline the need for e-commerce among the MSME sector,” said Sibin C, managing director, Punjab Small Industries & Export Corporation (PSIEC).

He said e-commerce major Flipkart has also shown interest in collaborating with handicrafts makers and Phulkari to market their products online and Amazon is interested in selling products manufactured by the MSMEs.

Under the MoU, PSIEC will facilitate interaction between Pumpkart and other e-retailers with Punjab-based MSMEs to help them list their products on the e-commerce platform. It will also share information about the product clusters across various districts of Punjab, duly vetted by District Industries Centre (DICs). In addition to this, it will also drive awareness and adoption of the programme via seminars, e-mailers and other marketing tools.

Pumpkart will conduct training and on-boarding workshops for MSMEs and will be facilitated by the state government. 

Also, the e-retailer would provide exclusive concessions and special services to the MSMEs listed through this engagement, including waiver of on-boarding fee and concessions on transaction fee.

Pumpkart CEO KS Bhatia said, “Punjab has over 2 lakh MSMEs and our business model will give them a direct access to the domestic market without adding to their costs. We plan to bring in at least 10% of these MSMEs on the e-commerce platform in the next two years.”

Items to be sold

Home, kitchen appliances, electrical products, industrial goods, sports goods, cycle and cycle parts, agriculture implements, office supplies, handicrafts and Phulkari