Korean delegation visits Andhra Pradesh to review impact of sustainable enterprises project

Vijayawada, INDIA (ILO News): A delegation led by Minister Lim Sang Woo, Charge d’affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Republic of Korea visited Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh on 12 November to review the key results and impact due to KOICA funded DC project ‘Promoting Sustainable Enterprises in India (PSEI)’ which comes to an end in December 2024.

The six-member delegation included Woo Chan Chang, Country Director and two other officials from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) India, Director, Korea SMEs and Start-up Agency (or KOSME, affiliated to Ministry of SMEs and Start-up), and Director, India Korea Centre for Research and Innovation (IKCRI). During the mission, the delegation met with Hon’ble Chief Minister, Chandra Babu Naidu to discuss on State government’s recent policy announcement of ‘One family, One entrepreneur’. The delegation also had discussions with Industries Secretary and Chairman of Economic Development Board along with other officials from the Department of Industries, State Government of Andhra Pradesh to explore promotion of an women industrial cluster on fishwaste byproducts for job creation with Korea’s technical expertise building upon the PSEI project results and learnings.

During the mission, the delegation had visited Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP) industrial estate and interacted with women entrepreneurs who had been equipped with entrepreneurial skills and mentored to start business under PSEI project. 100 youths of which 80 per cent were women, were trained to start business by PSEI project in collaboration with ALEAP. Minister Woo also inaugurated the Skills centre on Tailoring under SAMARTH scheme of Ministry of Textiles, Government of India at the ALEAP. Further, during a project end stakeholders workshop jointly organised by the ILO with partner, ALEAP, key results and learnings from PSEI project were presented by Sudipta Bhadra, CTA, PSEI Project from the ILO.

Appreciating the outcomes and stating it as an important foundation for future collaborations with Korea, Minister Woo reiterated Government of Republic of Korea’s commitment as a partner in the development of India, and in particular, Andhra Pradesh. Mr Chang representing KOICA thanked the stakeholders and partners for their support and shared key learnings for KOICA due to the project which also had been KOICA’s first development cooperation initiative in India.

The workshop also had addresses by Special Secretary for MSME, Government of Odisha and presentations by Orissa Assembly of SMEs, Institute for Entrepreneurship Development (IED) affiliated to Department of MSME, Government of Odisha, AP MSME Development Corporation, Federation of AP Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Confederation of Indian Textiles and Industries (CITI), Korea Textiles Development Institute (KTDI), KOSME, IKCRI, ALEAP, and Korean experts. During the event, the ILO and KTDI had released two self-paced learning modules developed for textile entrepreneurs on AI and recycling of textile waste with inputs of CITI, NITRA, and Textile Sector Skill Council.

The three-year PSEI project had started in September 2021 and provided technical support in the State of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to facilitate integration of MSMEs in supply chain for driving economic growth and generation of more and better quality jobs by creating an enabling policy environment, strengthening services by government support institutions and industry associations, promoting entrepreneurships, upgrading management practises and working conditions in MSMEs, and raising awareness on international labour, environment and quality standards. Knowledge building on Korean best practises, institutional and technical collaborations, and networking with Korean entrepreneurs for business development were integral to the project strategy.