ICICI Bank, IBM, IFC launch toolkit for sector

Initiative to enable small and medium enterprises increase productivity and capacity.

In an effort to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) start, finance and grow their business, an on-line resource centre by the name of "India SME toolkit" has been launched by ICICI Bank, IBM and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank group.

The website, www.india.smetoolkit.org, contains updated information and tools to enable SMEs in emerging markets learn how to increase productivity, efficiency and capacity, as well as improve their access to capital and new markets. The site offers off-line CDs, mobile alerts and classroom training, both in English and Hindi.

"Small businesses account for a dominant share of economic activity and employment in developing economies. We will offer small firms the services to develop their business and the tools they need to help them grow and prosper," said Anil Sinha, general manager, IFC Advisory Services, South Asia.

The toolkit addresses issues concerning accounting and finance, business planning, human resources, insurance, marketing and sales, operations, technology, business news and others.

The section on global resources for this kit is developed by IFC with technology support from IBM, which has spend more than $1.6 million to equip the toolkit with open source technologies, interactive tools, business forms and management material. Localisation of the SME toolkit in terms of content, making it multi-lingual and integrating it with mobile alert has been done by ICICI Bank.

"The small and medium enterprises are today looking at a global platform, however, efficiency and productivity are most important to them. The SME Toolkit India conver-ges both the needs of the SMEs and is a complete on-line ecosystem for them," said V Vaidyanathan, executive director, ICICI Bank.