The state government will shortly amend the Odisha Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Policy to make it more investment friendly. It will extend incentives to MSMEs in the state to obtain “zero defect, zero effect” certification in terms of bronze, silver, gold and platinum categories.

“Zero defect, zero effect” is a certification in production mechanisms wherein products have no defects and has zero adverse environmental and ecological effects. It will also take out manufacturing of fruit pulp or juice based industry from the negative list with a view to reduce wastage and enhance farmers’ income apart from promoting edible and non-edible oil mills in the state above certain investment limit.

“The policy will be coterminous with the Industrial Policy Resolution, 2015. Also, changes will be made in the definition of downstream enterprise to exclude low value added items,” said MSME minister Prafulla Samal.

He was speaking at a session on investment opportunities for MSMEs in the state at the Make in Odisha Conclave.

Ram Mohan Mishra, MSME development commissioner in the Union government, spoke about the development of MSMEs and challenges in the context of Odisha.

“Banks have been advised to simplify and fast track loan disbursement to entrepreneurs,” he said.

Successful Odia entrepreneurs shared their success stories during a start-up talk session.

Amarendra Sahu, CEO of Nest Away, Srikumar Misra, founder of Milk Mantra and Rahul Dash, CEO of Purplle spoke during the session among others and discussed a host of topics ranging from funding and the importance of a right team to compliance.