CNBC-TV18 and ICICI Bank hold ''Emerging India Forum'' in Mumbai

Keeping in line with its objective of reaching out across all audiences in the country and providing them with various opportunities, India's leading business channel, CNBC-TV18 hosted the second forum as part of the Emerging India series on August 2, 2004 in Mumbai. This event had a host of personalities relevant to the SME space discuss various important issues related to the growth of small and medium enterprises in India.

The forum was attended by representatives of SMEs in Mumbai and had eminent speakers like V Vaidyanathan, head of ICICI Bank's retail business, Naishad Parekh, currently on the board of Arvind Mills, SR Vaidya, president, All India Small Drug Manufacturers Association, Gaurav Nanavati, chairman - CII (Western Region) and owner of Anup Industries and Premal Udhani, vice chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council.

After the success in New Delhi, where discussions were held with eminent panelists such as Jayant Dawar, managing director, Sandhar Group, Gautam Nair, managing director, Matrix Clothing, SP Gupta, former planning commission member and author of an SME report and Chanda Kochar, executive director, ICICI Bank, CNBC-TV 18 and ICICI Bank have once again reiterated their commitment to recognise and promote the SME's in Mumbai.

Haresh Chawla, CEO, CNBC - TV 18 said, "SMEs have always been the engine of growth in developing as well as in transition economies. Their role in building a solid industrial base can be gauged from the fact that they represent over 80 per cent of industrial enterprises in most developing countries. Keeping in line with their endeavour to initiate a dialogue between the industry and decision makers, CNBC-TV18 has this year provided a platform for various small and medium enterprises to voice their opinions."

After agriculture, SMEs are high on banks' investment list. Attractive returns of around 8 to 10 per cent have prompted banks to redesign schemes catering to SMEs. Vaidyanathan said, "ICICI Bank has made significant investments in corporate and consumer banking. We are keenly focused on lending to the SME sector. The need of the hour is to define which enterprises fall under the purview of Small and Medium Enterprises to enable us to serve them better."

Commenting on the tie-up, Vijay Chandok, head of ICICI Bank's small business division, said, "This association of ICICI Bank and CNBC TV-18 will charter a new regime for the SME segment. This campaign will give the segment the exposure it always deserved and a platform to strategize for sustenance and growth of the SMEs in the post-2005 era."