Officials and participants during an awareness workshop on branding and marketing under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme at Hopongkyu Memorial Hall, Kiphire, on August 11. (DIPR Photo)
Kiphire, August 12 (MExN): More than 140 artisans from across the Kiphire district participated in the workshop one-day awareness workshop on branding and marketing under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme at Hopongkyu Memorial Hall, Kiphire, on August 11.
The workshop, organised by Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), through the MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Dimapur, in collaboration with the Department of Industries & Commerce and District Industries Centre (DIC), Kiphire, sought to strengthen their entrepreneurial capabilities through practical knowledge on branding, marketing and business development.
As per the State DIPR, the workshop featured technical sessions on product packaging, labelling and design, export development, artificial intelligence (AI), financial literacy and business growth strategies.
In his welcome address by Khrieketuolie Sekhose, Functional Manager, DIC Kiphire, who outlined the objectives and benefits of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme and encouraged artisans to make use of the knowledge and opportunities offered through the initiative.
The session on product packaging, labelling and design was conducted by Tsachola Sangtam, Founder of Hill Craft Soaps under Green Enterprises, who emphasised developing a strong product identity, adopting effective marketing techniques and using cost-efficient branding strategies suited to different stages of enterprise development.
Nongshe, Functional Manager, DIC Kiphire, conducted the session on export development, introducing participants to export readiness and key requirements for accessing external markets. He also highlighted government support schemes available to MSMEs and artisans and encouraged participants to seek assistance from the DIC. Representatives of SBI Kiphire also interacted with the artisans and addressed queries related to loan applications and financial assistance.
A financial literacy session was led by Ariba Sangtam, Project Associate, RAMP Scheme, DIC Kiphire, who spoke on integrated business growth planning and the importance of networking for enterprise expansion. The session also included demonstrations on QR code generation and e-commerce onboarding to help artisans access digital markets.
The State Programme Management Unit (SPMU), PM Vishwakarma, conducted an interactive session on AI, introducing artisans to emerging digital technologies and their potential applications in product promotion, marketing, customer engagement and enterprise development.
An interactive question-and-answer session involving artisans, government officials and SPMU representatives provided participants an opportunity to clarify queries regarding the PM Vishwakarma Scheme and its benefits.
The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Nikhilendra, IEDS, Assistant Director, MSME-DFO Dimapur, who reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting artisans through capacity-building initiatives and promoting an inclusive ecosystem for their transition into sustainable enterprises.
