Indian Bank launches MSME mentoring programme in Odisha

State-run Indian Bank has launched MSME Prerana’, an online business- mentoring programme for MSME’s in Odisha. Developed in collaboration with Knowledge Partner, Poornatha & Co, the programme to be delivered in the local language, is aimed at empowering MSME entrepreneurs by improving their managerial and financial skills through web-based training spread over 12 sessions, the bank said in a release on Wednesday.

The initiative was launched by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the bank’s corporate sector centre in Chennai in October last year. As an effort to bridge the current skill gap among the entrepreneurs, this programme will be delivered in the local language with a focus on developing the MSMEs’ business, communication, HR and financial skillset that is necessary to conduct business professionally today.

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Our MSME department will extend all possible support to this tailor-made mentoring program and I call upon entrepreneurs to avail of all other financial benefits being extended by Indian Bank to support them in such challenging times, Satyabrata Sahu, Principal Secretary, MSME Department, Odisha, said on Tuesday. Odisha figures among the top states in terms of MSME units and such programmes will ensure further up-skilling of entrepreneurs, thereby empowering them to achieve greater success in their businesses, Sahu said.

Indian Bank has an extensive network of 207 branches in Odisha and aims to provide more assistance to MSME entrepreneurs from various industries like textiles, automobiles, food processing, chemical, and others, the release said. Odisha accounts for nearly 5 per cent of the total MSME credit exposure of Indian Bank, and has witnessed a 39 per cent growth in FY 2020-21.

We are excited to expand the ambit of the MSME Prerana’ programme to our customers and budding entrepreneurs in Odisha. In addition to being addressed in the native Odia language, the programme is spread out over 12 sessions and can be easily accessed through online meeting-based applications, said V V Shenoy, Executive Director, Indian Bank.