International MSME Day: Surat’s Textile MSMEs Prepare for Energy Efficiency and Finance Workshop
Ahmedabad/Surat, 26th June 2024: To promote energy efficiency within the textile industry, the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), South Gujarat Textile Processors Association (SGTPA), and WRI India have joined forces to host an “Energy Efficiency and Finance Workshop” in Surat on International MSME Day, June 27.
Recognized as India’s textile powerhouse, Surat’s Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will benefit significantly from this event. The workshop will provide a platform for engagement with technology providers, financing agencies, and other support avenues, helping MSMEs to advance their sustainability initiatives.
The workshop aims to gather over 80 stakeholders, including textile MSMEs, policymakers, energy-efficient technology providers, and financing agencies such as the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
This event will offer textile MSMEs the opportunity to access critical technologies, financial resources, and knowledge essential for their sustainable development. Transitioning to energy-efficient technologies can lead to significant cost savings by reducing energy consumption, improving productivity, and ensuring regulatory compliance, thereby enhancing competitiveness and reducing production costs.
Key speakers at the workshop include senior officials from central and state governments. Saurabh Sinha, Deputy Director (Technical) of the Ministry of Textiles, Dr. Jignasha Oza from GPCB, and Amita Pandya, Senior Project Executive at GEDA, will share insights on the energy-efficient transition in the textile sector and its benefits. Jitendra Vakharia, President of SGTPA, will provide an industry perspective on the issue.
The event is a crucial component of the RISE (Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Enterprises) Surat initiative by WRI India, supported by the Ares Charitable Foundation’s Climate Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow (CREST) initiative. Launched on August 28, 2023, RISE Surat aims to equip at least 50 MSMEs and 500 workers in Surat’s textile sector with the tools, knowledge, and skills required for a low-carbon transition in India.
Building on the momentum from the Investment Bazaar workshop held in Ahmedabad in March, which attracted over 65 participants, the Surat workshop aims to connect MSMEs with key energy-efficient technology providers and financing agencies.
WRI India, along with GPCB and SGTPA, has already initiated training in all four fundamental pillars of the RISE Surat initiative: climate resilience, decarbonization, skilling, and financing. This event will provide MSMEs with the necessary support to drive the transition towards low-carbon industries.
As co-hosts of the workshop, GEDA and WRI India will facilitate engagement between interested MSMEs and energy-efficient technology providers and financing agencies, identifying additional support areas to ensure the success of this transition.
