Source: PIB, website of NSSH
The National SC/ST Hub has been set up to provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs to fulfil the obligations under the Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises Order 2012, adopt applicable business practices and leverage the Stand-Up India initiative.
The Hub would be implemented by the Ministry of MSME through National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public-sector undertaking under the administrative control of this Ministry of MSME
Objective
National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub(NSSH) has been launched with the objective to provide professional support to SC/ST entrepreneurs to fulfill the obligations under the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises, adopt applicable business practices and leverage the Stand up India initiative with an objective to promote “enterprise culture” amongst the SC/ST Population
The other main action points include:
- To encourage SC/ST owned units to achieve their share of at least 4% of total procurement being made by Central/State Governments, CPSEs and other government agencies
- To prepare a strategy for intervention through industry associations to sensitize, encourage and enable the SC/ST owned units for participation in the Public Procurement Process
- Collection, collation and dissemination of information regarding SC/ST enterprises and entrepreneurs
- Facilitating SC/ST Entrepreneurs to be part of vendor development programs and mentoring support by specific CPSE matching the products/services of such entrepreneurs
- Facilitating SC/ST Entrepreneurs’ participation in Public Procurement through the e-platform of DGS&D and monitoring the progress
Key features
- NSSH would provide professional support to the SC/ST enterprises thereby enabling them to effectively participate in public procurement process.This would involve participation by CPSEs/Central Ministries, States, Industry Associations such as DICCI and others.
- The Hub would also work towards the development of new entrepreneurs to participate in the procurement process leveraging on the ‘Stand up India’ programme.
- Selected entrepreneurs would be provided with support and mentoring by industry experts, CPSEs, and incubators.
- The Hub would operate out of the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) headquartered in Delhi, supported by a special cell created for this purpose.
- All new and existing SC/ST entrepreneurs would be registered on the MSME Databank (www.msmedatabank.in) of the Ministry of MSME that would form a reliable database to enhance accessibility for the procurement agencies.
- Under Special Marketing Assistance Scheme (SMAS) of National SC-ST Hub, marketing support is provided to SC/ST MSMEs for enhancement of competitiveness and marketability of their products by way of facilitating their participation in domestic and international exhibitions/trade fairs, vendors development programme, awareness campaigns, etc
- High Powered Monitoring Committee: Minister of MSME is the chairperson of the committee. The committee members are representatives of various stakeholders including States, various Ministries, Industry associations & SC/ST entrepreneurs. Primarily, this committee monitors the overall activities of the Hub at the highest level
