Chandigarh, August 21, 2025* : PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in association with the Industries Department, Chandigarh, organised the first program under its Raising and Accelerating MSME Program (RAMP) Series at PHD House, Chandigarh. The objective of the event was to apprise industry stakeholders of various incentive schemes promoted by the Government of India and to handhold MSMEs in scaling up their operations.
Chief Guest Nishant Kumar Yadav, IAS, Secretary Industries, Chandigarh, shared that 55,000 MSMEs are registered with the Ministry of MSME in Chandigarh, while nearly 1 lakh MSMEs are operating in the city overall, which is a significant number. He further added that the Industries Department will continue to organise awareness programs on different subjects every month and encouraged MSMEs to actively participate and benefit from these initiatives.
Madhu Sudan Vij, Chair, Chandigarh Chapter, PHDCCI, highlighted that the MSME sector is the backbone of India’s industrial landscape. He noted that the RAMP scheme launched by the Government of India aims to strengthen MSMEs, enhance their competitiveness, and facilitate integration into global value chains.
Providing the industry perspective, Suvrat Khanna, Co-Chair, Chandigarh Chapter, PHDCCI, said that the RAMP scheme has come at a crucial time, as MSMEs today face multiple challenges including limited access to credit, the need for technology upgradation, compliance complexities, and competition in an increasingly globalised market.
Lokesh Jain, Regional Convener, MSME Committee, PHDCCI, apprised participants about the MSEFC Facilitation Desk, informing that the State Government is helping MSMEs recover their pending payments through this mechanism, and urged MSMEs to avail the service.
Parv Arora, Convener, Power and Renewable Energy Committee, PHDCCI, emphasised the role of solar energy in reducing energy costs for MSMEs. He explained that solar power plants pay back their investment within four years while having a lifespan of over 25 years, making them a profitable and sustainable choice.
Bharti Sood, Regional Director, PHDCCI, underlined that the RAMP scheme provides a comprehensive framework to address challenges faced by MSMEs, including improving market access, encouraging digital adoption, promoting quality standards, and supporting skilling initiatives. She said such efforts can unlock new growth pathways for MSMEs, enhancing productivity and competitiveness.
The formal Vote of Thanks was delivered by Shiv Shankar, Co-Convener, Regional Banking and Financial Services, PHDCCI, who extended gratitude to the Chief Guest, speakers, and participants. Under the RAMP Scheme, various technical sessions were organised wherein, Mr Deepak Sharma, Trainer GeM talked about Benefits and Process of listing MSMEs on GeM; Mr. T.H.R. Samad, DGM, SIDBI talked about various upcoming financial schemes for MSMEs; Mr. Akhil, Digital Marketing Expert talked about Business Growth through Digital Marketing and Mr. Vivek Mittal, AGM, SBI, talked about MSMSE Financing options available. The event was attended by over 100 MSME’s of Chandigarh.
