Project “VIKAS” has a long-term objective of perking up the competitiveness of the Indian manufacturing industry.

The multi-divisional strategies will under-take the following:

• IT as a medium to revamp access to markets: enhanced access empowers the markets to undertake direct, faster and better transactions.
• Apt and focused training for refining skills and creating human capital: SMEs face constraints of geographical clustering and handicap to attract quality talent. Up gradation of existing local manpower and reduced dependency on external agencies is the need of the hour. Local ITIs and polytechnics provide a promising potential source.
• Evolving internal efficiencies by way of intense ICT intake and automating procedures for cost reduction and capacity enhancement for information access, processing, collaboration and dissemination.
• Commencement of ‘Knowledge Networks” to exchange latest market know-how and best IT practices. Networking to low-cost and relevant R&D linkages to stimulate innovation and ensure continuous product improvement will also be set-up.
• High level IT penetration and practice in the manufacturing sector. Weak penetration of IT has been identified by NASSCOM as one of the key reasons for low competitive ability of the SMEs.
• Advancing enlargement of a local software ecosystem to fortify IT absorption and put forward relevant customized solutions – an essential link absent in the chain.

Project “VIKAS” will incubate and nurture an ecosystem of ISVs to ensure continued, high quality and relevant ICT support is available to the cluster.