Union Minister for MSME reviews ongoing projects in Auroville

Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday reviewed the ongoing development projects in Auroville.

During the visit, G. Seetharaman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Auroville Foundation briefed the Union Minister on a comprehensive overview of Auroville’s vision and its recent progress. He also highlighted the extensive development initiatives undertaken in Auroville.

According to a press release, the briefing detailed the major milestones under the township, with a special focus on infrastructure development at Matrimandir and the status of the Matrimandir Lake project.

Appreciating the community’s self-reliance, Mr. Manjhi noted that Auroville’s sustainable business ecosystem serves as a model for rural and semi-urban MSME clusters across the country. Earlier, Mr. Manjhi visited Puducherry and reviewed the implementation of flagship programs of the MSME Ministry.

The chairman of the review meeting called on banks to facilitate greater access to institutional credit for SMEs and directed stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of government initiatives to grow the sector.

The Union Minister also visited the MSME Technology Center in Puducherry, inspected the training and manufacturing facilities of the center and interacted with the trainees. He emphasized that the ministry’s key priority is to equip the youth with modern technology-based skills and make them self-reliant.

Mr. Manjhi also visited the MSME Test Station where he viewed the testing facilities, quality assurance systems and technical support services available to MSMEs.

Published – 10 Jul 2026 20:47 IST