Initiatives
CREDIT FACILITATION
Finance is a crucial resource for every Business, right from the inception to its expansion. Among other factors, finance plays an important role in survival as well as growth. There are multiple sources for fulfilling financial requirements of Businesses and Credit Finance is a major source. MSMEs have their typical requirements and impediments when it comes to Finance and Credit. There are several Credit Opportunities and Schemes that caters to such specific needs of MSMEs. These Schemes are provided by Government of India through Ministry of MSME and its various offices, SIDBI and other Banking Institutions. Also, District Industries Centers and Lead Banks at District level plays an important role in administering these schemes and subsidies beneficial for Established as well as Aspiring Entrepreneurs
COSIA UNDER ITS ‘CREDIT FACILITATION’ INITIATIVE
Organizes ‘Awareness Workshops’ and other such interactive events for the benefit of MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Creating linkages between MSMEs and lending Institutions like SIDBI, DICs and Lead Banks for benefits under MUDRA, PMEGP, SMILE, Udyami Mitra etc.
Providing credit related hand holding services through certified credit councilors (CCCs).
COSIA INNOVATION FACILITATION CELL
COSIA, as a Public Private endeavour, along with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has set up an Innovation Facilitation Cell to foster innovation promotion in MSMEs and thereby create an improved Innovation ecosystem for its Members and other MSMEs.
BACKGROUND & ABOUT INNOVATION FACILITATION CELL
The Indian MSME sector has potential to be a key driver in transforming economic scenario of the country and making it faster, sustainable and more inclusive. However, the sector faces several challenges including weak innovation capacity of Indian MSMEs and dysfunctional innovation ecosystem. Outdated technology, access to markets and infrastructure bottlenecks further aggravate the situation for MSMEs to innovate. There is a huge disconnect between the Industry-specifically MSMEs- and Academia in the country which further restricts the cooperative knowledge creation, exchange & commercial exploitation of academic research. GIZ & the Ministry of MSME, Government of India is implementing project on ‘Innovation Promotion in MSME Clusters (MSME INNO)’. The project aims to strengthen the innovation capacity and sustainability of MSMEs in India with a strategy to strengthen cooperation through networks of public and private institutions, by facilitating introduction and dissemination of new technologies, products, processes and/or business models. Business membership Organisations (BMOs) like COSIA can play a crucial role to harness the innovation potential of MSMEs by being a crucial intermediary that can impact the local/cluster innovation system for COSIA’s member SMEs. Under this endeavour, COSIA will strive to provide the Industry and Academia a forum to come together and fulfil various functions, like supporting knowledge and technology transfer, supporting or initiating innovation policy strategies, providing advice and consultancy, policy advocacy etc.
ACTIVITIES UNDER INNOVATION FACILITATION CELL
Introducing MSMEs to Innovation practices & helping them develop system of Innovation.
Supporting to create and nurture linkages with stakeholders ( buyers, academia, government, banks etc) for promoting Innovation at cluster level
Supporting to develop and offer ‘innovation assistance services‘ for MSMEs
Undertaking innovation projects to demonstrate innovative solutions for common problems through cooperation between SMEs and academic/research institutes.
Organising regular collaboration and networking events with research/technical institutes for commercialization and development of technology. Members will be regularly intimated regarding the Seminars, workshops and such other events.
LEAN MANUFACTURING CLUSTER
With the advent of Globalization, the competition in the manufacturing sector is ever increasing. In this competitive environment, the enterprises need to adopt efficient practice to sustain. While the Large industries usually have dedicated funds and resources for innovation and efficiency, the small and medium enterprises have hardly any time or resource for this important but not so direct activity. Hence, to become globally competitive, it is crucial for SMEs to adopt Manufacturing Competence Measures like LEAN Management, 5S, Kaizen, JIT etc.
With this aim, the Government of India, Ministry of MSME is promoting the Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme (LMCS) which encourages formation of LEAN Clusters and offers 80% subsidy to SPV formed by 6 to 10 member MSEs for the implementation of LEAN Manufacturing measures.
COSIA, since 2015, has actively conducted several ‘Awareness Sessions’ to disseminate the importance of Lean Practices in Manufacturing as well as the LMCS. Till date, COSIA has formed 2 Clusters under the LMCS. COSIA intends to form more such clusters in the near future.
COSIA ADARSH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Running an industry in the MSME Sector with high moral values and without involving in mal-practices is indeed a tough job. This requires an unflinching determination, a very clean and transparent behavior alongwith a very high respect for moral values in life.
MVP S T TASKAR AWARD
Marathi Vidnyan Parishad and Chamber of Small Industry Associations has instituted a cash award of Rs. 1,00,000/- (plus a Memento and Citation) styled as Marathi Vidnyan Parishad’s S. T. Taskar Award to Innovative Entrepreneur in the year 2011
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