CII Jharkhand MSME Growth Summit focuses on outreach, sustainability and supply-chain integration
From Small Items to Big Contracts, Railways Is Open to MSMEs, says Akhil Jain
Jamshedpur: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised the CII Jharkhand MSME Growth Summit in Jamshedpur on Friday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to discuss business development and long-term sustainability. The summit was held on the theme “Maximising MSME Outreach for Business Development & Sustainability” and aimed at strengthening Jharkhand’s MSME ecosystem through dialogue, insights and collaboration.
Addressing the gathering, Akhil Jain, Senior Divisional Materials Manager (Sr DMM), Chakradharpur, South Eastern Railway, highlighted the vast opportunities available for MSMEs in Indian Railways’ procurement system. “Indian Railways has achieved 100 per cent digital procurement, ensuring transparency and accessibility for MSME vendors,” he said. Jain explained that general-use items are procured through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, while specialised railway equipment and all tenders, irrespective of value, are handled through the Indian Railways E-Procurement System (IREPS). He also outlined the procurement cycle, including headquarters-level strategic procurement, divisional-level purchases and emergency requirements, noting that railway procurement ranges from small items to high-value contracts.
Abhijit A Nanoti, Chairman, CII Jamshedpur Zonal Council and Managing Director of Jamshedpur Continuous Annealing & Processing Company Pvt Ltd, said India’s MSME sector is at a critical stage where future growth depends on capability building, digital adoption and sustainability. He emphasised that CII Jharkhand is working to position MSMEs as reliable partners in domestic and global supply chains through structured capacity-building and policy facilitation.
Rajiv Bansal, Convenor, CII Jharkhand MSME Panel and Head – Supply Chain, Tata Motors Ltd, underlined the importance of MSMEs as a pillar of economic growth and employment. He noted that with over 6.82 crore enterprises registered on the Udyam platform, MSMEs play a key role in India’s goal of becoming a USD 7 trillion economy by FY30. He highlighted recent government initiatives supporting credit access, entrepreneurship, public procurement and clean technology.
Tapas Sahu, Past Chairman, CII Jharkhand State Council and Managing Director, Highco Engineers Pvt Ltd, stressed the need for stronger production capabilities, digital maturity and cluster-based development to make Jharkhand a leading MSME manufacturing hub.
Rajjeev Shukla, Co-Convenor, CII Jharkhand MSME Panel, said continued collaboration and technology adoption would help MSMEs emerge as agile partners in India’s growing manufacturing ecosystem.
Eminent Speakers who shared their views during the session included Mr Dibyanshu Sinha, Member, CII Jharkhand State Council & Director, Nalin Rubber Pvt Ltd; Mr Surendra Kumar, Assistant Materials Manager, ELSS, Tata Nagar; Mr Rohit Goyal, Co Convenor, CII Jharkhand MSME Panel & Director, IEMCO Industries Pvt Ltd; Mr Sougata Mahanti, Counsellor, CII Godrej Green Business Centre; Mr Ponraj Pandian, Head of Program Purchasing & Material Management, Region India, ZF Commercial Vehicle Solutions; Mr Biswajit Jena, Senior Vice President, RSB Transmissions (I) Ltd and Mr Ashish Gera, Senior General Manager, Supply Chain, Tata Cummins Pvt Ltd
The CII Jharkhand MSME Growth Summit concluded on a strong note, bringing together over 120 industry delegates, including CEOs and Managing Directors of MSMEs, and creating a vibrant platform for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. The active participation of senior industry leaders underscored the growing importance of MSMEs in India’s economic landscape and reflected a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth. Deliberations at the summit highlighted opportunities for MSMEs to integrate into railway supply chains under the Atmanirbhar Railways framework, while also focusing on green and sustainable growth pathways with emphasis on compliance and eco-friendly manufacturing practices. Discussions on business and procurement opportunities explored strategies to enhance market access, strengthen partnerships, and deepen procurement linkages, reinforcing the role of MSMEs as key drivers of inclusive and sustainable economic development.
