The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is a major contributor to the socio-economic development of the country. It accounts for 45 % of total industrial production, 40% of total exports and contributes significantly to the GDP. There are over 7000 products, ranging from traditional to high-tech, manufactured by Indian MSMEs.
MSMEs are a critical growth driver of the Indian economy. Many MSMEs are complimentary to large industries as ancillary units and provide depth to the industrial base of the economy. Apart from raw materials, one of the key inputs in any manufacturing process in an MSME is “energy” (primarily in the form of fossil fuels, biomass and electricity). Several sectoral studies show that a majority of MSMEs use energy inefficiently and there exists potential to improve energy efficiency in many of these MSMEs through adoption of ‘energy efficient’ (EE) technologies and best operating practices (BOP). This is particularly important in the face of ever-rising energy costs and when energy accounts for a sizeable portion of manufacturing cost. Most MSMEs often lack access to latest technologies, finance and best operating practices, MSMEs are also constrained by high energy costs as well as inefficiencies in the system increases production costs and dents competitiveness. All of this impacts their energy and environmental performance. By transitioning to energy efficient systems, MSMEs can cut costs and improve productivity and competitiveness.
To help achieve this potential, the Shakti-supported Small and Medium Enterprises Energy Efficiency and Knowledge Sharing (SAMEEEKSHA) platform is synergizing the efforts of various agencies working towards the promotion of clean, energy efficient technologies and practices in Indian MSME sector. It is a unique forum where industry interfaces with technology development specialists, R&D institutions, government bodies, training institutes, funding agencies and academia to facilitate this process.
SAMEEKSHA was jointly set up by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MoMSME), with The Energy and Resources Institute acting as the platform’s secretariat. Considering the crucial role of MSME sector in providing large-scale employment opportunities at relatively low capital cost, industrialization of rural and under-developed areas of the country, SAMEEKSHA’s role and the resources it provides are being viewed an increasingly important. This unique initiative was also acknowledged, as an important intervention with the MSME sector, in India’s second Biennial Update Report (BUR) submitted to the UNFCCC.
For more information on SAMEEEKSHA, visit http://www.sameeeksha.org/