Jammu : The MSME-Development & Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO) Jammu, under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of India, Tuesday organised a one-day awareness programme on branding and marketing under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme at the Conference Hall, Directorate of Industries & Commerce, Jammu, in association with the District Administration Jammu.
The programme aimed to create awareness among PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries and artisans regarding branding, digital marketing, financial inclusion, product packaging, government support schemes and entrepreneurship development, to enhance their market competitiveness and income generation.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Coordinator PMU Team Kanav Kapahi, who welcomed the dignitaries, resource persons and participants and outlined the objectives.
IEDS MSME-DFO Jammu DK Tyagi delivered the introductory address and gave a brief overview of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme. He highlighted the Government of India’s commitment towards empowering traditional artisans and craftspeople by providing end-to-end support through skill upgradation, toolkit incentives, credit support, branding and market linkage.
Joint Director (Planning) Directorate of Industries & Commerce Jammu Shiwali graced the programme as Guest of Honour. In her address, she called for preserving traditional crafts while adopting modern marketing techniques to improve the economic condition of artisans.
Chief Guest Assistant Commissioner General Jammu Sania Haq Khan motivated participants to utilise various Government initiatives and encouraged them to embrace innovation, digital platforms and branding to expand their products’ reach in national and international markets.
The technical sessions featured expert presentations on various aspects of entrepreneurship and business development. Ajay Kumar (PMU Team, Jammu) explained the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, while General Manager DIC Jammu Abhishake Abrol highlighted UT Government schemes for entrepreneurs. Rohit Verma of J&K Bank Jammu spoke on banking, financial literacy and credit facilities.
Professor and Head, Marketing Management, Central University of Jammu, Dr Naresh Kumar spoke on branding and digital marketing. Senior Manager India Post Payments Bank Vikas Gupta explained QR code-based digital payment systems, while Kanav Kapahi demonstrated use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for artisans to improve product promotion and business growth.
Participants also benefited from sessions by Nodal Officer JKEDI Rajesh Kotwal on product packaging, labelling and designing, and Trainer RDSDE Jammu Shipra Jacob on skill development and entrepreneurship. DK Tyagi, IEDS MSME-DFO Jammu, concluded the technical sessions with an overview of MSME schemes and Government support available for micro and small enterprises.
Around 200 participants attended the programme, including PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries, artisans, entrepreneurs, officials from various Government departments, banking institutions and support organisations. The interactive sessions enabled participants to gain practical knowledge on branding, digital marketing, financial inclusion, AI applications, packaging and Government support mechanisms.
