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Support offered for skill development in MSME sector

KOCHI: India has assured the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat of full support to member countries with regard to skill development in the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sectors to make their products competitive in the global market.

This assurance was given by Coir Board Chairman V.S. Vijayaraghavan in his address at the four-day ninth Commonwealth-India Small Business Competitiveness Development Programme and pan-Commonwealth Natural Fibres Skill Development Programme held in Bangalore earlier this week. India leads Commonwealth countries in the technology of processing coir and allied natural fibres, he said.

The four-day event reviewed some of the MSME initiatives undertaken by the Secretariat, including technical assistance provided to countries and institutions promoting MSMEs and industries in general, including those utilising natural fibres. The economic significance, development and utilisation of natural fibre, especially among small rural farmers and women entrepreneurs, in the Commonwealth came up for a broad reassessment during the session.

Organised to coincide with the International Year of Natural Fibre 2009, declared by the United National General Assembly, the international conference was attended by over 50 delegates drawn from more than 30 countries. It was inaugurated by the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has been collaborating with the Coir Board since March 2007 in hosting a series of pan-Commonwealth institutional building programmes on small business competitiveness development. Mr. Vijayaraghavan gave away certificates of participation to the delegates at the valedictory function, according to a press release.

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