Recognising that the next phase of women-led entrepreneurship will depend not only on access to finance, but also on stronger market linkages, digital visibility and institutional support, the MSME-DFO, Cuttack, Ministry of MSME, Government of India, in association with The Utkal Chamber of Commerce & Industry Ltd. (UCCIL), Bhubaneswar, organized, ‘Udyami Shakti’, a National Seminar on ‘Marketing, E-Commerce & Scheme Support for Women Entrepreneurs,’ at the UCCIL premises in Bhubaneswar.
The one-day seminar brought together around 110 women entrepreneurs and stakeholders, providing them with practical insights into digital marketing, e-commerce platforms, government schemes, financing opportunities and avenues for expanding their businesses.
The inaugural session was graced by Ms. Rashmita Panda, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Odisha, as the Chief Guest. The session also included an objective and brief of the programme by Shri P. K. Gupta, IEDS, Director, MSME-DFO, Cuttack, and a welcome address by Dr. Prabodh Mohanty, President and Dr. Sanjeev Mahapatra, Honorary Secretary, UCCIL.
Speaking on this initiative, Shri P.K. Gupta, IEDS, Director, MSME-DFO, Cuttack, said, “Women entrepreneurs are an important pillar of India’s MSME ecosystem. Through Udyami Shakti, our aim is to strengthen their awareness of government schemes, digital platforms, market opportunities and institutional support. The programme focused on helping women entrepreneurs move beyond establishing enterprises towards sustainable growth, wider market access and greater competitiveness through technical sessions, expert interactions and success stories.”
Dr. Sanjeev Mahapatra, Honorary Secretary, UCCIL, said, “UCCIL, in association with MSME-DFO, initiated Udyami Shakti to connect women entrepreneurs with knowledge, networks and opportunities to grow their businesses. While many women entrepreneurs are successfully building and expanding their enterprises, there is often limited awareness about government schemes, digital platforms and available market linkages. The programme therefore focused on strengthening awareness around branding, marketing, digital adoption and market access, while connecting entrepreneurs with relevant institutional support. The one-day seminar brought together around 110 women entrepreneurs, offering a valuable platform to learn, interact, share experiences and build meaningful business networks. Going forward, UCCIL will undertake outreach programmes and expand the initiative to industrial districts such as Jharsuguda, Jajpur and Sundargarh.”
The seminar featured two technical sessions focusing on digital marketing, market access, government schemes and institutional support. Discussions covered key platforms and initiatives, including Meesho, GeM, ORMAS, MSME schemes, SIDBI, PMEGP, National SC-ST Hub and ONDC. The seminar also featured success story presentations by women entrepreneurs and an interactive Q&A session offered participants practical insights and actionable guidance. The seminar concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Shri Diwakar, Assistant Director, MSME-DFO, Cuttack.
