Lucknow: The two-day *’Vendor Development Programme for Micro and Small Units – 2026’*, organized jointly by the MSME-Development Office (Kanpur) of the Ministry of MSME (Government of India) and the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Lucknow, concluded at PHD House, Gomti Nagar. More than 200 representatives—including MSE entrepreneurs, industrial organizations, government departments, financial institutions, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and technical institutes—participated in the event.
Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil (IAS), Principal Secretary of MSME and Export Promotion, Government of Uttar Pradesh, attended the second day of the program as the Chief Guest. Pranjal Yadav (IAS), Secretary of MSME and Export Promotion, and Pawan Agarwal, Additional Commissioner of the Export Promotion Bureau, were present as Guests of Honour.
In his welcome address, V.K. Verma (IEDS), Director of MSME-DFO Kanpur, stated that the vendor development program serves as an effective medium to connect MSE units with large industries, PSUs, and government procurement systems. He noted that this facilitates the creation of new business opportunities for small enterprises.
*Access to Markets, Not Just Credit, is Crucial: Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil*
Chief Guest Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil emphasized the necessity of linking financial assistance for MSMEs with markets and sustainable business opportunities. He stated that the objective of schemes like *’CM Yuva’* should not merely be to provide loans but also to connect new entrepreneurs with markets and sustainable business avenues.
He stressed the importance of the widespread dissemination of schemes through banks, as well as the need for forward linkages and vendor development. He highlighted the need to connect MSMEs, self-help groups, and individual entrepreneurs with large industries, institutional buyers, and government procurement channels. He added that information regarding opportunities available to MSMEs and SC/ST entrepreneurs in government procurement via the *GeM (Government e-Marketplace)* portal must reach the maximum number of entrepreneurs.
He further remarked that online marketing and digital platforms could play a pivotal role in connecting small enterprises with new customers. “Merely providing credit is not enough—the entire value chain must be established: from finance to production, production to market, market to orders, and orders to sustainable revenue.”
During the event, the Principal Secretary interacted directly with MSE entrepreneurs and gathered information regarding their issues and challenges related to government procurement, payments, working capital, finance, and market access. He also discussed the financial and institutional mechanisms available for MSEs, including TReDS.
*Experts offer suggestions on exports, finance, and technology*
Technical sessions were held on exports, trade finance, risk management, technology, intellectual property, and public sector procurement. Sanjay Madan, Chief Manager at GJEPC, provided insights into exports and international market opportunities. Mohammad Shahid, Branch Manager at ECGC Kanpur, highlighted risk management in the export business.
Ashish Soni, Regional Head at EXIM Bank, outlined opportunities related to export and trade finance. Dr. RK Srivastava, Principal Scientist and Head of the Business Development Group at CSIR-CIMAP, discussed the potential for linking research, technology, and innovation with the industry.
IPR Attorney Navdeep Sridhar explained the importance of intellectual property protection for products, brands, designs, and innovations. Twinkle Gaur, Senior Manager (Contracts and Procurement) at GAIL, provided information on procurement and contracting processes as well as business opportunities for MSEs.
Shailendra Khare highlighted the practical applications of digital technology for MSEs during a special session on Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity. Various industry representatives, including Manoj Shukla (Lead–Supply Chain, S&SC at Ashok Leyland), also participated.
*Emphasis on linking with PSUs and government procurement*
During the two-day event, MSE units were briefed on PSU procurement processes, GeM, vendor registration, quality and standardization, technical requirements, export promotion, trade finance, intellectual property, and market expansion.
On the first day, various public sector undertakings shared details about their procurement requirements and vendor registration processes. Through the PSU-MSE B2B meet and interactive sessions, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to communicate directly with purchasing organizations. The following day, discussions were held with experts on finance, exports, technology, IPR, and market expansion.
A large number of officials, experts, and entrepreneurs attended the event, including Atul Srivastava (Senior Regional Director, PHDCCI) and Amit Bajpai, Neeraj Kumar, and Sonika Rastogi (Assistant Directors, MSME-DFO Kanpur). The event provided an effective platform for potential business collaborations among MSEs, PSUs, government departments, financial institutions, and technical institutions.
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