CII Conclave Charts Roadmap to Boost Financial Access for Northeast MSMEs

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised the Northeast MSME Conclave 2026 in Guwahati on Wednesday, bringing together policymakers, financial regulators and industry leaders to discuss strategies for accelerating the economic transformation of the Northeast.

The conclave, themed “Unlocking the Region’s Entrepreneurial Potential”, highlighted the importance of formalisation, digital integration and collaborative credit frameworks in fostering a vibrant industrial ecosystem.

Welcoming the participants, Mukesh Nankani, Vice-Chairman, CII Assam State Council and Chief Airport Officer, Guwahati International Airport Ltd, highlighted the region’s strategic position as India’s gateway for MSME expansion.

Addressing the inaugural session, Satinder Kumar Bhalla, ITS, Secretary, North Eastern Council (NEC), outlined initiatives aimed at achieving Viksit North East 2047. He highlighted a new free digital compliance portal launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and SIDBI to simplify regulatory compliance and provide timely reminders for micro enterprises.

Speaking on financial inclusion, Sushmita Phukan, Regional Director, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), said that with MSMEs supporting more than 32 crore livelihoods nationwide, the next frontier for the Northeast is meaningful financial inclusion to enable businesses to use formal credit for expansion. She said the RBI is promoting developmental initiatives, including increasing the collateral-free loan limit to Rs 20 lakh, encouraging cash flow-based credit appraisal and strengthening the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) framework to improve liquidity.

Atul Rathi, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India (SBI), said the bank is enabling seamless credit flow—from micro-entrepreneurs to enterprises requiring loans of up to Rs 100 crore—through digital capabilities, artificial intelligence and specialised SME centres.

G. Ramesh Kumar, Chief General Manager, NABARD, emphasised the importance of rural infrastructure in strengthening the MSME ecosystem. He announced a Rs 10,000 crore disbursement target for rural infrastructure during the current financial year, along with targeted support for skill development, market access and women-led enterprises.

More than 100 stakeholders participated in the conclave, where technical sessions focused on improving access to capital, regulatory alignment and sustainable growth for regional enterprises.

Also Read: Assam has 17.29 lakh registered MSMEs across various sectors: CM Sarma