Hewlett-Packard (HP) to explore SME sector for printers
January 24, 2010
Hyderabad: Hewlett-Packard India plans to tap the rising demand for printers in the small and medium businesses segment, a top official said on Friday.
We see huge potential demand for printing from IT/ITeS, pharmaceutical, entertainment and e-governance initiatives, HP India’s Country Category Manager (Imaging and Printing), Ajay Rawal told reporters.
Rawal said that HP is also keen on energy saving initiatives with instant-ON technology, which eliminates or minimises warm up time. Also, the toner particles now have wax element that melts quickly, improves efficiency at work, he added.
He said three of HP’s top-selling printers were HP LaserJet P1007, HP MFP M 1005, and HP ColorLaserJet 1215. LaserJet P 1007 will now be available for a reduced price of Rs 5,999, he added.
Rawal said Laser printers are expected to constitute 50 per cent of the total printer market from the current 38 per cent.
Realistic Exports Proceeds in `09-10 Likely to dip 10 per cent : ASSOCHAM
April 28, 2009
New Delhi: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has forecast a minimum of 10% dip in export proceeds of India during fiscal 2009-10 in the backdrop of continued demand constriction in overseas market especially US, EU and UK.
In its preliminary assessment on Export Targets Vs. Reality, the ASSOCHAM is of the view that in US alone, nearly 60% fall in export proceeds of India have been witnessed in 3rd and 4th quarter of fiscal 2008-09. US being the largest trade partner of India will continue to suffer slowdown in 2009-10, the reflection of which would naturally fall on India’s export to it.
Likewise, the scenario in EU and UK would remain so in the current fiscal and therefore India needs to be realistic as far as its export targets are concerned. The Deptt. of Commerce & Industry had set export targets of US$ 200 billion for current fiscal. Against this, it is highly likely that the total export proceeds on realistic basis would not be more than US$ 160 billion. It may be mentioned here that in fiscal 2008-09, the export proceeds brought India revenues to an extent of US$ 170 billion.
The assessment carried out under supervision of Mr. D S Rawat, ASSOCHAM Secretary General points out that the most prolific export earning sectors will remain under severe stress in 2009-10 because of their demand constrictions overseas and lack of incentivized policies on domestic front.
These include sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, carpets, leather, gems & jewellery, marine products including spice exports. Textile sector which is a major revenue earning source will continue to face technological upgradation as sufficient funds are unlikely to be allocated for it.
Job losses will continue to take place in the sector and it will face much more severe competition from neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc. which will squeeze its competitive edge in economies of scale especially EU, US and ASEAN including Latin America, said Mr. Rawat.
The situation will be more or less same for other sectors already identified in the assessment and due to this, India’s export competitiveness will erode amounting to 10% dip in its export earning in year 2009-10, adds the ASSOCHAM Chief.
According to ASSOCHAM, the corporate sector expects the period of downturn in the economy to go on until JANUARY 2010 and it is only after that the economy will start bouncing back and the fiscal packages announced by the government will start paying richer dividends to Indian Inc.
The last quarter of the current fiscal will bring in maximum earnings to India through exports as by then, revival will have taken place in saturated market for creating demand for Indian products.
The ASSOCHAM is also of the opinion that just as the government revised its export targets for fiscal 2008-09 by bringing it down to US$ 175 billion from earlier target of US$ 200 billion, in the later part of the current fiscal, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry might do the same as well in later part of current fiscal.
In fiscal 2008-09, total export proceeds realised stood at less than US$ 170 billion, US$ 5 billion lesser than the revised targets. However, the ASSOCHAM also holds that input costs would further reduce because of stiffer competition and manufacturing will pick up especially capital goods industry registering a growth of nearly 20% in fiscal 2009-10.
According to Mr. Jindal, further recovery will take place not only in steel, cement, automobile and engineering sector but India’s food processing industry will grow reasonably as value addition to it will grow faster with focus on processing. Its reflection will become visible in 2010-11 in which India’s growth especially on export front will multiply because it will by then emerge a stronger economy to give tougher competition in Indian sub-continent including China.
However, the assessment of the ASSOCHAM concludes that since from all angles, 2009-10 will be tougher not only India’s exports will suffer but its overall GDP growth will shrink, posing tough challenge to policy makers to come out with policy packages for industry to keep it immune from global shocks.
Govt to ask SEBI for separate norms for SME Exchange
June 6, 2008
New Delhi: The government would ask market regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) to frame separate norms while setting up the exchange for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) so that they do not have to spend high on advertising for their public issues.
“While setting up exchange for SMEs, SEBI should come out with separate rules so that they do not have to incur high expenses on advertising for their public issues and reports to the investors,” a senior official in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
He said the ministry would try to impress upon the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to ensure that these units do not have spend too much while raising funds from the market. The ministry will also submit the views of the industry to the regulator, he added.
SEBI Chairman C V Bhave on Tuesday said initially only big investors may be allowed to invest in the SMEs.
He indicated that although there would be no compromise on accounting and reporting standards for them, there could be relaxations in rules related to rigorous compliance requirements that bigger companies have to.
In a discussion paper, SEBI has proposed to set up a separate SME exchange and has sought public comments.
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), along with the National Stock Exchange and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), is expected to be the joint promoters of the SME exchange.
At present, the MSMEs constitute about 20 per cent of total GDP, while employing over three crore persons.
New initiatives for the promotion of MSMEs
April 30, 2008
New Delhi: The Central Government supplements the efforts of the States/UTs by providing supportive measures through schemes/initiative to enhance the competitiveness of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and enable them to grow and generate more and more employment. The measures include ongoing schemes as well as new schemes under the Package for Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises announced in Lok Sabha on 27th February 2007.
Some of the new initiatives for the promotion and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are:
1. Scheme for financial assistance to select management/business schools and technical institutes to conduct tailor made courses,
2. Scheme for financial assistance to five select universities / colleges to run 1200 entrepreneurial clubs.
3. Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana to assist potential 1.5 lakh first-generation entrepreneurs in completion of various formalities and tasks necessary for setting up of their enterprises and to facilitate them in completing the required formalities during the course of Eleventh Five Year Plan.
4. Scheme for Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) by merger of existing REGP and PMRY Schemes (proposed)
5. Package for developing infrastructure for Khadi Institutions including nursing fund for weak institutions.(proposed)
6. Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans
7. Scheme for enhancing productivity and competitiveness of Khadi industries and artisans. (proposed), and
8. Scheme for rejuvenation, modernization and technological upgradation of coir industry.
Moreover, 10-point initiatives under the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) have been announced to be implemented during Eleventh Plan period in MSME clusters in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
This information was given by the Minister of Micro, small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Mahabir Prasad in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.