EVENT REPORT: Workshop held on Friday, November 26, 2010 at Varanasi

Empowering MSMEs & Launch of eMSME Program

DEF Launched eMSME National Program on the occasion of "Internet for MSMEs" seminar on Friday,
November 26, 2010 at Varanasi

The interactive seminar titled "Internet for MSMEs" with the theme - "Empowering MSMEs in Textile
Sector" held on November 26, 2010 at Varanasi was acknowledged as a phenomenal success by
speakers, participants and media present at the event.

More than 225 participants participated enthusiastically (against an initial target of 100 people).
Members of media from all local and national print and TV channels attended the event and covered it
liberally.

Participants and regional stakeholders from various associations, organizations & government
departments responded eagerly to the launch of the National eMSME program by Digital Empowerment
Foundation (DEF) through which Micro and Small Enterprises can build their website at a nominal cost.

Digital Empowerment Foundation; 3rd Floor, 44 Kalu Sarai, New Delhi – 110016;
TeleFax: +91-11-26532786/7 defindia@gmail.com; www.defindia.net; www.eMSME.in
Dr. Rajani Kant, Founder Director of Human Welfare Association, observed that this eMSME workshop
was a significant event not only for Varanasi but for entire country. For local micro entrepreneurs, the
event provided useful insights into how they could use Internet to leverage the recently won GI
(Geographical indication) for Banaras Brocades and Sarees and Bhadohi Carpets.

Driven with a mission to empower innovators, entrepreneurs and organizations at grassroots level, Mr.
Osama Manzar launched a National eMSME program to provide unlimited number of dynamic web
pages with one free domain name at a bare minimal cost.

"For economic empowerment, Micro enterprises must disseminate information about their products to
the world through internet - to remove economic poverty, deal with information scarcity about your
products" advised Mr. Osama Manzar, Founder & Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF).

A survey conducted during the workshop revealed that about 92 participants felt that internet would be
beneficial to their work and categorically agreed that they need a website.

There are currently more than 2.61 Crore Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in India (as per 4th
census of MSMEs conducted in 2006-07) and the majority of them do not have a website. Most of the

Digital Empowerment Foundation; 3rd Floor, 44 Kalu Sarai, New Delhi – 110016;
TeleFax: +91-11-26532786/7 defindia@gmail.com; www.defindia.net; www.eMSME.in
MSMEs working at the grassroots level thus remain unknown and do not earn the appreciation and
benefit coming from sources that can provide tremendous business opportunity to them.

This anonymity might have been caused for reasons like lack of finance, expertise and networking. The
MSME sector is a critical component in the country's socio-economic ecosystem as it accounts for
employment of 5.97 crore persons, of which, 0.95 crore are in registered units and 5.03 crore in the un-
registered units.

Mr. Kartik Taneja, VeriSign's Lead India Channel, shared VeriSign's history with the participants and
explained VeriSign's pivotal role in the global internet infrastructure. Currently there are 115 million
.com domains with about 60 billion queries per day.

"The older business paradigm of making and selling products has given way to a new model: customers
are searching for you on the Internet and if your work does not show up in the search results then the
business meant for you will go to other middlemen or other people", shared Mr. Taneja with the
participants.

Digital Empowerment Foundation; 3rd Floor, 44 Kalu Sarai, New Delhi – 110016;
TeleFax: +91-11-26532786/7 defindia@gmail.com; www.defindia.net; www.eMSME.in
Mr. Mukul Kumar Shah, Chairman, Indo American Chamber of Commerce, Varanasi, congratulated the
organizers for launching the eMSME program which will allow enterprises to display and show their
products and accept payment online.

A distinguished set of eminent speakers highlighted how Internet can be used to address local issues
and shared their delight about the eMSME program: Mr. Onkar Nath Mishra, President, All India Carpet
Manufacturers Association, Mr. Mangala Singh, Asst. Director, Handicraft and Mr. Rajan Behal, Banaras
Vastra Udyog Sangh (a 60 year old organization).

The eMSME web service package is designed in a way to provide services at a minimal cost which is
sustainable and a low cost solution for very small entrepreneurs providing service and market value.

eMSME's vision is to see that maximum number of entrepreneurs find a virtual face, identity and be
visible to global and national audience. eMSME programme offers websites in any regional language.

Digital Empowerment Foundation; 3rd Floor, 44 Kalu Sarai, New Delhi – 110016;
TeleFax: +91-11-26532786/7 defindia@gmail.com; www.defindia.net; www.eMSME.in
With Human Welfare Association as local partner, DEF has initiated a process to set-up a resource centre
to implement the eMSME program - local youth, including girls, shall be trained to assist micro
enterprises in setting-up and managing websites.

DEF is partnering for this initiative with Ministry of MSME and diverse organizations for this including
IAMAI (Internet & Mobile Association of India) and NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India).

Digital Empowerment Foundation; 3rd Floor, 44 Kalu Sarai, New Delhi – 110016;
TeleFax: +91-11-26532786/7 defindia@gmail.com; www.defindia.net; www.eMSME.in