NEW DELHI: An impressive audience of over 500 delegates, comprising entrepreneurs, professionals, government functionaries, bankers, among others, attended the first-of-its-kind conference on 'Free for SMEs', organized by IndiaMART.com and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) at the India Habitat Centre, here on Tuesday. The event also marked the release of a handbook for SMEs, which attempts to demystify ICT adoption.

The chief guest of the event, Mr Dinesh Rai, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, applauded the organisers’ efforts for having put together a unique and crucial conference. Mr Rai also unveiled a report titled, “Free for SMEs”. Published as a ready reckoner for SMEs, the report enlists and illustrates free and low-cost ICT solutions which can be leveraged by SMEs to increase productivity.

Speakers at the event exhorted SMEs to adopt smart strategies to stay in the technology-enabled race. A series of low cost solutions were also presented by some speakers. Delegates participating in the conference had various questions pertaining to government schemes for ICT adoption by several segments. On being asked by Mr. Deepak Kumar if the schemes catered to mid-market companies like theirs (SAP Consultancy) and provided subsidies to them, Mr Dinesh Rai said, "We have been actively encouraging partnership in these programs. And, if your company becomes a technology partner in a local area, then it would be entitled to these subsidies."

Citing a direct correlation between awareness and adoption of ICT by SMEs, Secretary-General of the Federation of Small and medium Entrepreneurs (FISME), Mr Anil Bhardwaj,said, "Scope of growth through ICT is immense in India as its usage by SMEs is still at a nascent stage. We have observed that adoption of ICT is directly proportional to accessibility and infrastructure development in the country. Hence, once we address these two issues, we would inch closer to ICT adoption further bringing transparency in functioning of businesses."