NMCC in talks with IITs, IIMs to run programmes for SMEs

The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) is in talks with IITs and IIMs to run training programmes for small and medium entrepreneurs.

"The main aim of the programme is to provide managerial skills to SMEs. It would also help in making quality and innovative products. We are talking to a few IITs and IIMs. We will form a group of technical experts who will run those programmes," National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) member secretary Ajay Shankar said here.

The NMCC has been set up by the government to provide a continuing forum for policy dialogue to energise and sustain the growth of manufacturing industries in India.

Already a group, which includes experts from IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras and IIM Kolkata, is running a training programme in cities like Pune and Chennai, he said.

"We want to disseminate this practice to larger section. The move would help in boosting manufacturing sector in the country," NMCC Chairman V Krishnamurthy said.

These programmes would be developed under the council's - Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing Programme (VLMP)- which was formed in 2007 in collaboration with Japan.

VLMP covers areas like training CEOs, senior managers and middle level managers. It is being implemented under the Indo-Japan technical cooperation agreement.

Renowned Japanese Professor Shoji Shiba, who was honoured with Padma Shri this year, is the chief mentor of the programme.

The NMCC has been set up by the government to provide a platform for policy dialogue to energise and sustain the growth of manufacturing industries in India.