ABSTRACT Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) also known as small and medium scale enterprises are the

essential part of healthy economy. The SME sector represents over 90 percent of enterprises in most of the developing countries and contribute 40-60 percent of the total output or value added to the national economy.SME sector in India is the key driver of the nation's economic growth with a contribution of over 40 percent of the country's industrial output and about 35 percent of direct exports and another 15 percent of indirect exports. In terms of employment it is a very crucial sector being the second largest sector after agriculture. In recent years the SME sector has consistently registered higher growth rate compared to industrial sector. Small is beautiful but is it Powerful? Yes, say the SMEs. The growth recorded by SSI in India is 2% more than any other sector; it accounts for 40% of the countrys GDP, 35% of Direct exports, 15% of Indirect Exports (through Merchant Exporters, Trading Houses & Export Houses) and employs more than 20 million people. The SSIs needs just R s. 60 , 0 00 70 , 00 0 t o ge ne r at e em p l o ym e nt f or o ne m a n, w hi l e f or t h e sam e a w ho ppi n g 5 - 6lakhs is required for other sectors.SME sector faces a number of problems - absence of adequate and timely banking finance, limited kn ow l e d ge an d non - av ai l a b i l i t y o f sui t a bl e t e c hnol o g y, l o w pr odu ct i on ca p a ci t y, i n e f f ec t i v e marketing and identification of new markets, constraints on modernization and expansions, non availability of highly skilled labor at affordable cost, follow up with various agencies in solving regular activities and lack of interaction with government agencies on various matters .S ME s h a ve st ro n g t e ch nol o gi c al b as e, i nt er n at i o n al bus i n e ss out l oo k, c om p et i t i ve s pi ri t a nd willingness to restructure them shall withstand the present challenges and come out with shining colors to make their own contribution to the Indian economy. CHAPTER IINTRODUCTION :Small industry has been one of the major planks of India's economic development strategy since Independence. India accorded high priority to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the very beginning and pursued support policies to make these enterprises viable and vibrant and over time, t h es e h av e be c om e m aj o r co nt ri b ut o rs t o t h e G DP . De s pi t e n um er ou s p rot e ct i on a nd p ol i c y measures for the past so many years, SMEs have remained mostly small, technologically backward and lacking in competitiveness. The opening of the Indian economy in 1991 added problems to the SMEs. At the beginning, small scale enterprises found it difficult to survive. In the last decade, the economic environment has changed in favor of SMEs. In this context, it is important to re -look i n t o t h e basic issues of SMEs, past, present and future prospects, especially i n t h e p o l i c y framework. 1.1DEFINITION: In the Indian context, we have not so far defined medium enterprises clearly. What is neither s m al l n or l a r ge i s be i n g l oos el y d e fi n ed as m e di u m . F urt h er , en t e r pri s e en co m p as se s businesses, services and industries. In the broadband of ' small', the discussion extends to medium as well. Another possible connotation for the SMEs is the small manufacturing enterprises . ROLE OF SMES IN ECONOMY Du e t o f ast d ev el op i n g m od e rn t ec hn ol o gi e s an d pr od uc t i o n sc al es , t h e s m a l l an d m e di um enterprises have become very critical for economic growth. This sector is now

very important for those nations whose desire is to be prosperous as it is the starting point of industrial development. Large Scale Enterprises (LSEs) of today were SMEs in the past and SMEs of today would be LSEs of tomorrow. This rule holds good for all countries of the world. SMES IN DIFFERENT SECTORS OF INDIAN INDUSTRY: SMEs have been established in almost all-major sectors in the Indian industry such as:

-medical equipment

-engineering

Plastics products

1.3SIGNIFICANCE OF SMES SMEs are considered the engine of economic growth in both developed and developing countriesas they: Provides low cost employment since the unit cost of persons employed is lower for SMEsthan for large sized units. Assists in regional and local development since SMEs accelerate rural industrialization bylinking it with more organized urban sector. Help achieve fair and equitable distribution of wealth by regional dispersion of economicactivities. Contribute significantly to export revenues because of the low cost labour intensive nature of its products.

Ha v e a pos i t i ve ef f e ct on t h e t r a de b al a nc e si n c e S ME s ge n e ra l l y us e i ndi ge no us r a w materials, reducing dependence on imported machinery, raw material or labour. Assist in fostering self-help and entrepreneurial culture by bringing together skills and capitalthrough various lending and skill enhancement schemes. Impart the resilience to withstand economic upheavals and maintain a reasonable growth ratesince being indigenous is the key to sustainability and self-sufficiency. Fi rm s wi t h s al es l es s t h a n $ 1 m i l l i on sp en d 2x - 3x m o r e on R &D p e r $ o f s al es t ha n t h e average. And result is SMEs producing 55 percent more innovations than LSEs. 1 Converts the raw material within the country into semi-finished items and later pass it on theLSEs that have capital, skill and equipment to process these into finished goods. Provide rural people an opportunity for income generation and personal growth since they canw o rk at h om e. Th i s h el ps t o a c hi ev e f ai r an d eq ui t ab l e d i st ri bu t i o n o f we al t h b y c r e at i n gnationwide non-discriminatory job opportunities. Attracts direct foreign investment since multinationals and big conglomerates have started tooutsource from countries with strong SME sectors. The low labour cost makes production of semi finished goods very economical for large concerns operating in international markets. The SMEs act as engines through which the growth objectives of developing countries can beachieved. ADVANTAGES OF SMES Th e ad v ant a ge s o f S MEs i n a n e co nom y, b e i t l ab ou r i nt en si ve o r ot h e rw i s e a re m ani f ol d . Therefore, the development of small and medium industries in any country has specific effects onthe balanced and dynamic growth of a country. It has a number of advantages over large scaleindustries. Some of these are mentioned below: It generates more jobs per unit of capital and is more capital efficient. Similarly it is also strongly integrated into the domestic economy. Small industries use a high percentage of local raw materials. Most of local consumable products are produced by small scale industries. It taps the resources at the grass root levels. Th e pr om o t i o n o f S m al l and m ed i um i n dust ri es i n du c es r a p i d gr owt h of l a r ge s c al emanufacturing in the long run.

It also generates cheaper goods and services to th e general population which attempts to b r e a k t h e c y c l e o f t h e e v e r i n c r e a s i n g p r i c e h i k e s . T h e i n c r e a s e d e m p l o y m e n t a n d t h e goods/services produced has a positive effect on the GNP of a country. This becomes a catalystin breaking the poverty cycle. The small businesses are remarkably flexible because they operate near the customer, thus ithas the ability to adapt according to the ever changing needs of the customer. PROSPECTS OF SMALL MEDIUM SCALE INDUSTRIES IN INDIA:ROAD MAP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MICRO DEVELOPMENT UNIT IN THE11 TH PLAN The limit set for investment in the micro units is a major hindrance in this era of Globalization andcompetitiveness. The limit has been increased to 5 crores. Steps for development of MSE in theeleventh plan are as follows.(1) It has been targeted to raise the production of MSE units to 13,98,803 cores for the year 2011-12. employment has been planned to be increased from 322.28-391.73 lakhsIn the MSE scheme in the eleventh plan, previously the manifesto was good for all which has beenturned to development. Regarding this, the document (VOL III p. 203) it has been informed that"The eleventh plan approach to the MSE sector marks shift from welfare approach to that of empowerment. The plan looks at the sector as an engine for sustained and inclusive economicgrowth and employment. The eleventh plan emphasizes on the improvement of living standard of workers and believes that only if a worker is physically and mentally sound, then will he be able to produce a good output.(3) In the eleventh plan, as the MSE sector is unorganized, the plan aims at organizing it so thatMSE sector gets maximum benefit of all the govt. schemes and plans.(4) In the eleventh plan, MSE groups have been taken as a cluster and workers have been made intoa group (SHGS) so that their bargaining power is increased(5) The MSE sector gets a loan of 5 lakh for 8 % interest without any bailee will be encouraged avehement drive will be undertaken, to develop this sector.(6) Centre and the state govt. will give prime importance to the MSE sector. Women working in this sector, get their due rights, for that efforts will be made.(7) Technical information will be provided to Small Industries Development Organization nowknown as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization which has around3000 technicians who work in testing centres, tool rooms, etc.(8) Ministry of MSME has been formed for the development of Micro, Small and MediumIndustries. In the eleventh plan, it has been decided to establish Technology mission, which willhelp develop dissemination of technology.(9) In the year 2006, the govt. started the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme.Under it in 5 years, at the cost of 850 crores, design clinics, steps to increase the competitiveness of groups, and decrease the wastage will be undertaken.(10) This sector faces basic problems like that of electricity. In the eleventh plan it has beensuggested, that these small and micro units establish their own power plants.(11) Owing to the industrial laws and disputes act, the worries of this sector have increased.According to the planning commission, it has been advised to form a third party which willinvestigate into the matter. THE NON GOVERNMENT PROMOTION STRUCTURE: There are three national associations representing all type of industries, small and large. These are'Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries' (FICCI),

Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and 'Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industries' (ASSOCHAM).T h es e as so c i at i on s r ep re s ent m a i nl y t h e i nt e r es t s of l ar ge s c al e i nd ust ri es. Ho we v er , t h es e associations have membership of small sector as well and represent mainly the policy related interests of SSI sector. The Indian auto component industry is poised for robust growth till 2010. There is a perceptive exuberance in the industry and growth estimates indicate a booming industry. Going by current trends in production and exports of auto components, indicate a doubling of the domestic auto component industry by 2010. The production of auto components could grow to US$22 bn by2010. Similarly, Indias exports of auto components could grow to US$4.5 bn as compared to US$1.8 bn in 2005. Expected growth in production and exports of auto components is shown in thegraph below:This growth outlook implies opportunities for the small and medium enterprises. The overall trendis encouraging, but remaining competitive in this changing scenario will be the toughest challenge.The combination of low manufacturing costs along with quality systems would give an edge tocompanies in terms of pricing and quality. Expansion and diversification will help break into newm a rk et s. It w oul d b e i m p e r at i ve f or t h es e c om p a ni es, wh i c h a r e l a r gel y b a se d on t r a di t i o n al m a n a g e m e n t p r a c t i c e s , t o i m b i b e t e c h n o l o g y i n a b i g w a y . T h e S M E s c a n e x p l o i t t h e s e opportunities through joint ventures, collaboration and technical tie ups. Knowledge, specialization,innovation and networking will determine the success of the SMEs in this globally competitive environment Recent Initiatives Taken - Policy Package for SMEs: The policy makers have recognized the need to support the SME sector through a package of fiscal and financial incentives so as to help them to address the challenges being faced by the sector. F ur t h e r , t h e G ov e rnm e nt i s al s o ke e n o n m a ki n g t h e op e ra t i n g en vi ron m e nt c on du c i ve t o t he con du ct o f bus i n ess b y S M E uni t s. W i t h a vi e w t o i m p rov e t h e p ros pe ct s o f S ME u ni t s , t he Government of India has recently announced a package for stepping up credit to the SME sector.

CHALLENGES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN INDIA: In the current economic slowdown SME sector has been hit very hard due to raising interest rates and financial crunch. The small size and capacity of the firms and their lack of awareness have bred many hindrances to their growth such as Under-utilization of capacity, Inadequate and untimely credit flows, Inability in technology up gradation, Insufficient raw-material procurement Inability to market finished goods and Ineffective monitoring and feedback mechanism. The problem which continues to be a big hurdle for the development of the sector is the lack of access to timely and adequate credit. Increasing competition and globalization, along with the need to produce qualit y products at best prices, have prompted the industry to introduce new product development methods with modern technology. The need to evolve technologically superior methods of product development holds true, especially for players in the SME segment. The small and medium enterprise sector is widely regarded as the engine of the Indian economy. Small and medium

enterprises (SME) contribute to the industrial, economic, technological and regional development in all developed and developing countries. The Indian SME market is valued at $5 million. The 11 million SME units, which makeup the Indian SME sector. Produce over 8000 products. These constitute 95 % of all industrial units and c ont ri but e 4 0% t o i n dus t r i a l out p ut . T h e S M E s e ct o r a l so p l a ys a si g ni f i c a nt ro l e i n t h e de ve l op m ent o f ent r ep r en e uri al s ki l l s and fo rm s a s ubs t a nt i al po rt i on o f t he co unt r y s ex po rt earnings. The contribution of SMEs in the industrial development of the country has been remarkable. At the state level, the government has played the major role in ensuring growth by establishing various institutes to support this sector. Which include small industry Development Corporations (SIDC)and several Centers for Entrepreneurship Development (CEDs). There are many institutes that currently support SMEs at the national level. These include the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).However, since the early 1990s Indian SMEs have been exposed to intense Competition due to increasing globalization. This has made survival and growth of this sector difficult.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT The quality of the infrastructure affects the growth prospects of SMEs to a great extent, especially in a developing country like India . Here, 77% of the population lives in villages. Many rural areas still suffer due to the deplorable state of basic infrastructure like transport, telecommunications and electricity. The integration of rural industries with mainstream industries is proving to be difficult for these reasons. This has been identified as a key deterrent to the growth of SME clusters in rural areas. TECHNOLOGICALLY HANDICAPPED Te c hno l o g y p l a ys a c ru ci al r ol e i n t he d ev el opm e nt of S M E s. Te c hn ol o g y n ot onl y h el ps i n e vol vi n g a m ul t i p ro n ged s t r at e g y b ut al so i n m ax i m i z i n g bus i n es s o ppo rt uni t i es f or t h e s e enterprises. Technologies for SMEs should aim at fuelling innovation and business agility. The y s h o u l d b e e a s y t o i n t e g r a t e w i t h ex isting s ystems and processes, and help in leveragi ng communicate and information management. Today, most SMEs in rural areas u n d e r t a k e manufacturing using old methods and outdated technology. But today, the competition is fierce, unlike in the past, when buyers were simply looked forward to purchasing the best products at the lowest prices. There are additional challenges to be met. The influx of low-cost products from china has made it even more difficult for Indian manufacturers to compete solely on the price front. China is considered the worlds manufacturing backyard, due to its low manufacturing and labour costs when compared to those in India. UPCOMING MARKET TRENDS AND INFORMATION One of the factors limiting the growth of SMEs is the lack of adequate information. Once SMEs start the business, they may be interested in knowing about the suppliers of specific machinery that suit their needs, technical information and market trends for their products. This information is rarely available at the grassroots level. NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT The SME market requires a strong new product development base. In India, most SMEs work on the designs given to them by domestic or foreign buyers. There is very little

innovation in product design development, and even the technology used by the SMEs in India is Outdated. This has direct implication on the profit margins, and a dip in productivity levels. The use of traditional tools, old techniques, poor labour productivity, they have not been used to a large extent, resulting in no substantial effect on the output. MARKETING PROBLEMS: The nature of marketing is ever changing so does the problems associated with the marketing. The Indian SMEs are facing a lot of problems related to marketing in the national and international arenas. This is mainly due to the fact that thes e organizations belong to rural or semi urban areas where the resources are easily available to them and cheap labour is associated with . But when it comes to selling of these products the SMEs have to face a difficulty in creating an impression and awareness in the minds of urban and other potential buyers about the quality and related aspects of their products and services. THE WAY AHEAD There e is a strong need to find ways to manage modern technology and labour market constraints, which impede the productivity of SMEs. Policy-makers and research institutions have repeatedly pointed out to the need for extensive research on the SME sector. What these SMEs need today is knowledge and access to new technology, adequate financial aid, high levels of R&D and adaptability to the changing trends in their respective industries. With the increasing competition, globalization and the uncertainty due to the global downturn, SMEs will have to continuously incorporate the latest technology into their production processes as well as in their marketing and management functions, to cut costs, gain efficiency and consistency .This will help them become successful, and contribute to the Indian economy in the long run. Overall, the small industry sector has performed well, and has enabled the country to achieve considerable industrial growth and diversification.