Indian Small and Medium Enterprises

Performance gaps in support schemes

2009-09-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

Since Independence, there has been a widespread recognition in India that small enterprises could be engines of economic growth, job creation and relative prosperity. The promotional setup for the MSME sector has, therefore, been elaborate.In the liberalisation era, the Industrial Policy of 1991 and the Abid Hussain committee report (1996-97) induced a paradigm shift in the direction of

Govt may ease up listing for SMEs

2009-09-17T05:09:00.000-07:00

Cash-starved small and medium enterprises can look forward to some easier norms to raise capital from the primary market with the government mulling over a plan to relax listing guidelines for such companies. According to a proposal before the government, qualified institutional investors, mutual funds and high net worth individuals may be allowed to participate in the process.The government has

Exim Bank window offers 50% capital support to MSMEs

2009-08-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

Our Bureau KOLKATAEXPORT Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has opened a special funding window for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) planning to export their products. The development bank has also mobilised the Grassroots Business Fund, a US-based not-for-profit organisation, to offer seed capital to MSMEs for building export units. The initiatives are in sync with the country’s thrust

Recession takes a toll on Ludhiana textile cluster

2009-07-14T02:04:00.000-07:00

Seema Sindhu / New Delhi The smaller units are applying both strategic and tactical shifts to fight the slowdown.The micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) textile cluster in Ludhiana, Punjab, has rewritten some of its practices to adjust to the global recession according to the findings of a study commissioned by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The study was conducted in June by

Industry facing ‘hostile’ conditions in UP: Study

2009-07-14T02:01:00.000-07:00

Pioneer News Service, LucknowEven as the government is trying to create an investor-friendly atmosphere, jobs in the private sector are shrinking fast owing to the “hostile” conditions prevailing in the state.“The industry in the state is facing a far greater hostile condition than previous years,” a nationwide study carried out by the Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (

FISME Union Budget 2009-2010 MSME Poll: Have your say

2009-07-11T00:24:00.000-07:00

The Union Budget 2009-2010 has been announced. Did it meet your expectations? Is a million-dollar question which is swirling in everyone’s mind?To have a say of yours about the key issues brought in the Budget, FISME is carrying out a Union Budget 2009-2010 MSME Poll from the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector for its immediate feedback. The last date of filling in the Form is July

Did Pranab Mukherjee's Union Budget 2009-2010 meet your expectations?

2009-07-09T23:42:00.000-07:00

According to a recently carried out pre-budget ET FISME MSME Poll, 70 per cent said access to credit for MSMEs has not improved after the announcement of the two stimulus packages; however 81 per cent witnessed slump in their domestic sales in the last quarter of 2008-2009. At the export front, 74 per cent respondents accepted there has been drop in exports in the same duration. To the question:

Exporters turn to domestic market for a fresh lease of life

2009-07-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

The Creative Group is a Mumbai-based apparel company that was almost entirely focused on exports till three years ago. Then its management took adecision to launch a domestic brand to leverage the growing demand for branded apparels in the country. In 2007, the company launched a women’s western wear brand called 109F and a mass-market economy brand called 13to31 late last year.“In the past nine

Credit crutch for small businesses

2009-07-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), arguably the worst hit by the global financial crisis have got a shot in the arm.The government has proposed to facilitate and ease the flow of credit at reasonable rates for MSMEs by providing a special fund of Rs 4,000 crore.This fund is expected to incentivise scheduled commercial banks and state finance corporations (SFCs) to refinance 50 per

Union Budget 2009-'10: Small cos get big tax break

2009-07-07T23:30:00.000-07:00

More than 10 million micro and small enterprises around the country are likely to welcome the Budget announcement that has given businesses withannual turnover of less than Rs 40 lakh the option of not maintaining their books of accounts and pay income tax on a fixed 8% of their revenues.Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said that such businesses would have the option of not paying advance taxes.

MSMEs for new stimulus package in Budget: FISME survey

2009-07-04T23:33:00.000-07:00

A recent FISME MSME poll has revealed that access to credit for MSMEs has not improved even after the announcement of the two stimulus packages. Around 70 percent respondents agreed that the two stimulus packages have not helped them much, while 81 percent witnessed slump in their domestic sales in the last quarter of 2008-2009.In the export front, 74 percent respondents accepted there has been

Who is raising the Chinese imports bogey?

2009-06-28T23:35:00.000-07:00

"We are suffering from the ruinous competition of a rival who apparently works under conditions so far superior to our own - that he is flooding thedomestic market with it at an incredibly low price; for the moment he appears, our sales cease, all the consumers turn to him, and a branch of - industry whose ramifications are innumerable is all at once reduced to complete stagnation."This is not a

Ahead of Budget ‘09, Businessworld releases a book on SME

2009-06-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Businessworld launched the latest title from its whitebook series, the SME Whitebook 2009-2010 at an event held in Delhi on June 18. The book was released by Salman Khurshid, Minister of State, Independent charge, Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs.Addressing the crowd he said, “SMEs are making a silent transition into being a huge mover in the big world of competition. SMEs are facing an

‘Govt should enhance credit flow to MSMEs’

2009-06-17T23:37:00.000-07:00

About 12.8 million MSMEs in the country provide employment to over 42 million people and account for 45% of the country’s factory output and nearly 40% of exportsNew Delhi: The government should chalk out measures to increase credit flow to medium and small-scale enterprises to help tide over the global downturn, an apex MSME body has said.The need to bolster credit lines to intermediary

FISME seeks separate bank regulator

2009-05-26T23:40:00.000-07:00

Finding itself low on RBI's priority list, MSMEs hope for a more nuanced approach from the new government.The Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) has sought a separate bank regulator to ensure access to competitively priced and need-based credit to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector. It believes that the RBI is too preoccupied with macro

Yours Say: MSME Expectations from the New Government

2009-05-26T23:09:00.000-07:00

After Indian economy having been hit by economic slow down during last quarter of the year, Indian government and RBI had taken some measures to address the crisis. On 13th Feb’09, FISME with The Economic Times organized MSME Summit to discuss these issues which was Chaired by Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dy. Chairman Planning Commission. But due to imposition of model code of conduct immediately

Defaults by small units will add to bank non-performing assets: FISME

2009-05-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

Seema Sindhu / New DelhiThe prospect of large-scale defaults by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on repayments to banks is unavoidable and the banking sector’s non-performing assets (NPAs) are set to increase, Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) Anil Bhardwaj has warned.Despite several measures taken by the government, MSMEs continue

Wipro to ramp up Chinese operations

2009-05-12T22:22:00.000-07:00

Wipro Ltd is ramping up its China operations 10-fold by 2010, according to a top industry official.Wipro currently has operations in Chengdu and Shanghai, where it employs 305 people. The ramp-up will boost the company's headcount in China to over 3,000, according to Anil Bhardwaj, secretary-general, Federation of Indian Small and Medium Enterprises, who addressed reporters in Bangalore on

Chinese city beckons Indian IT cos

2009-05-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

Partnership will enable BPO firms to service markets in Japan, Korea and in the ASEAN region Special CorrespondentBANGALORE: A five-member delegation from the city of Nantong in China was here on Monday to woo Indian IT and BPO companies to establish partnerships with Chinese companies to jointly reach out to markets in East Asia.Chen Xiao Dong, Vice Secretary and Vice Director, Nantong Economic

China’s Nantong lures IT/BPO sector

2009-05-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

Bangalore Mirror BureauPost the global slowdown, the ASEAN region, consisting of China, Japan, South Korea and India among others, is looking to boost growth. And China wants the Indian IT/ BPO sector to pay attention to markets closer to home.“It is time India stopped looking Westward and took a look at the multi-billion dollar market in the East,” said Anil Bhardwaj, secretary general,

Reframe insolvency mechanism

2009-04-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, FISME‘Temporary stresses’ in business and eventual closure in many cases are inevitable. So a fair and effective mechanism to deal with insolvency and bankruptcy is a prerequisite for enabling risk-taking and enterprise creation.Though insolvency and bankruptcy are generally used together, the terms are not synonymous. Bankruptcy represents a body of law designed

VOTE FOR SMALL BIZ

2009-04-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

In these elections, political parties have shown concern for small business owners and startup entrepreneurs. Partha Ghosh checks out the ballot pointsIn the run up to the elections, India’s Joe the Plumber hasn’t found his moment of glory yet. His concerns-about his small business-and how the next government will address them, have been diffused by the gratuitous political rhetoric of our

BENGAL CALLING

2009-03-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

Guangxi biz delegation visits cityTIMES NEWS NETWORK Kolkata : A 18-member Chinese delegation comprising ten companies of the Guangxi province interacted with city-based businessmen on Friday to discuss ways to boost business links. The meeting was organised by the Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (FISME). Mukesh Kalra, joint secretary of the organisation, said the

India MSME Summit – Interim Findings

2009-03-04T02:22:00.000-08:00

Issues plaguing the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India are wide and complex. The India MSME Summit Interim Findings – encapsulates these overarching issues and the concerns that the sector has been facing. The Interim Findings also comes up with the comprehensive list of remedial measures that are urgently required for the MSME sector.Feedback compiled from Small and Medium

Towards Establishing Modern Insolvency and Bankruptcy Codes for Small Enterprises in India

2009-02-27T02:51:00.000-08:00

(From left to right: Mr Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, FISME; Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission; Mr Dinesh Rai, Secretary, Ministry of MSME; Mr Rajendra Mohan Malla, Chairman & Managing Director, SIDBI; Mr Mohan Suresh, President, FISME)Balancing the rights of creditors and debtors post failure or closure of business, is a complex and a critical issue. FISME

Budget leaves MSMEs stunned; Wait begins for Stimulus-III

2009-02-16T05:45:00.000-08:00

(The article is submitted for publication in the The Financial Express)What an anti-climax the Interim Budget (2009-10) had been. The Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has left the industrial sector including MSMEs, speechless. Was it an exercise of ‘vote on accounts’ or count of votes?I think Finance Minister made a forceful political statement on behalf of government which was on shaky wicket-

Govt to act tough on pvt banks for not lending to MSMEs

2009-02-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

The government on Friday warned private and foreign banks of tough action if they do not improve on lending to micro, small and medium enterprises, which are reeling under the impact of global downturn."If they don't comply with RBI direction, at some point of time, the government will be forced to act," said Commerce Secretary G K Pillai on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Federation

Participate in India MSME Summit

2009-02-07T21:58:00.000-08:00

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, Joint Secretary (Publications)The ongoing global economic crisis is causing enormous destruction to financial systems, trade in goods and services and to employment opportunities both in developed and developing countries. It is already being touted as the much bigger crisis than the deep depression of 1930s. Contrary to earlier assessment, it has adversely impacted a large

SMEs: Challenge of Survival

2009-02-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

By Anil BhardwajSecretary GeneralFederation of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (FISME) (Excerpt of the article was published by The Economic Times on February 5, 2009. Read: Demand slump, fund shortage derail SMEs’ growth plans)Around mid 2008, a small industry from Bangalore contracted for import of lead ingots through MMTC @ $ 2015 per MT. By the time the consignment reached Indian

Demand slump, fund shortage derail SMEs’ growth plans

2009-02-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

Anil BhardwajAround mid-2008, a small Bangalore-based company contracted through MMTC imported lead ingots at $2,015 per metric tonne. By the time theconsignment reached Indian shores, a couple of months later, the prices of lead had crashed to $925 per MT, along with a synchronised drop in prices of all other commodities. The company’s net loss in a single import consignment was Rs 1.09

The going gets worse for Tirupur’s textile exporters

2009-02-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

Anirvan Ghosh & Sachin Dave, ET BureauThe going is not just bad for textile exporters of Tirupur, it’s the worst ever. And official policies have come back to haunt them. Tirupur has about 6,250 factories, which provide direct employment to 3.5 lakh people (mainly rural women) and indirect employment to about 2 lakh. The units are mainly dependent on the export of hosiery and knitwear, with

RBI calls meeting tomorrow for credit flow to MSMEs

2009-02-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

A day after the government asking the PSU banks to cut interest rates further, the Reserve Bank will convene a meeting on Tuesday to firm up measures to inject liquidity into medium and small scale units and help them stem the impact of global downturn.Officials of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, representatives of the small scale units and bankers would part take in the

Rs 62,000-crore stimulus package for credit-hit MSMEs on cards

2009-01-28T03:05:00.000-08:00

Monalisa Roy, Sandip DasJan 27, 2009New Delhi, Kolkata: Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) could be the biggest beneficiary of the next stimulus package of the government. The MSME ministry has asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a Rs 62,000-crore priority sector lending for the sector.The RBI has, in fact, convened a meeting with banks and representatives of the sector on February

Crunch-hit SMEs cut frills to stay afloat

2009-01-24T22:02:00.000-08:00

Tapash TalukdarAHMEDABAD: A Year ago, the factory-cum-office of Aarvee Denim & Exports at Narol, near Ahmedabad, was getting ready for a makeover. And Ashish V Shah, managing director of the Rs 243-crore company, was beaming. Demand for denim from his global clients was booming, and his apparels were much sought after within the country too, given the boom in organised retail. So, Mr Shah started

Stimulus fails to lift SMEs’ spirit yet again

2009-01-03T01:07:00.000-08:00

Facing enormous credit crunch due to global economic slowdown and reluctance by the banks to lend, the second stimulus package announced by the government on Friday failed largely to lift up the spirit of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).Although SMEs’ representatives state slashing repo and reverse repo rates would certainly make banks ‘more willing to lend’, the measures like setting up

Industry happy with package, exporters disappointed

2009-01-02T23:01:00.000-08:00

India Inc today welcomed the fresh stimulus measures announced by the government with focus on infrastructure funding besides cut in policy lending rates by the RBI, but exporters reeling under global meltdown found the package "disappointing". Apex chambers - FICCI and CII hailed the second stimulus package and also the cuts in the key policy interest rates of the RBI. However, Assocham said

The ‘P’erfect ‘E’ntry!

2008-12-31T05:11:00.000-08:00

PEs continue to flow into India. Slowdown? What slowdown?!Enough water has flown under the bridge since the collapse of the Wall Street giants, namely, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and many more... Ever since, strong words and statements like ‘unprecedented recession, cascading stock prices, evaporation of billions of dollars in thin air, financial institutions

Clothing Demand From Emerging Markets – An Opportunity For LDC Suppliers

2008-12-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

With decreasing demand in the traditional markets in the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada for apparels, the new-book “Clothing Demand From Emerging Markets – An Opportunity For LDC Suppliers” launched by International Trade Centre comes at an opportune time. It gives in-depth markets insight for suppliers, apparel manufacturers in the countries like India, China, Malaysia, Brazil and South

Boost for unorganised sector, Labour rights bill passed

2008-12-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

A historic labour bill for labour rights in the unroganised sector was passed in Parliament on Wednesday. For the first time, over 800 million people will get health benefits and life insurance now.The bill was passed, but not without its share of drama. The Left MPs wanted some more amendments, but the Labour Ministry declined. Neither side would budge. So the speaker called for a vote. It was

Auto parts: 200,000 may lose job; 4,000 units face closure

2008-12-17T20:08:00.000-08:00

India's auto component makers are facing one of the biggest crises ever. With the domestic market in the doldrums and the exports to the American market badly hit, many companies are on the verge of shutting down.The entire supply chain of auto companies is bearing the brunt of the economic meltdown. From Tier-1 companies to small-scale units, all are facing a huge fall in demand, delayed

SMEs, home buyers get relief on loans

2008-12-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

Buying a house has become a little easier for lower and middle-income earners, while the small businessman can hope for a better deal from his banker. From Tuesday, all 28 state-owned banks will charge a concessional rate of 9.25% for loans below Rs 20 lakh and 8.5% for loans less than Rs 5 lakh.Small and medium enterprises will now get loans at cheaper rates as part of a special package designed

Slowdown hits SMEs hard as big companies delay payments

2008-12-15T20:48:00.000-08:00

Some suppliers are going out of business or laying off jobs, say associations of small, medium industriesMaitreyee HandiqueAs India’s economy begins to slow after expanding by at least 9% for the past three years, some large companies are delaying payments to suppliers, resulting in some of these suppliers going out of business or laying off jobs, according to associations that represent

Freeze loan repayment for now

2008-12-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

By Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary-General, FISMERiding on excess liquidity and demographic dividend-young nation, building homes, buying and spending-Indian small industries have been clocking double-digit growth for the last few years: 10.88% in FY05; 12.32% in FY06; and 12.65% in FY07. The sectors leading the growth have been: housing, auto and white goods in the domestic market and apparel &

RBI may ease bad loan norms for small firms

2008-12-10T23:45:00.000-08:00

The small and medium sector, hit by the global meltdown, may get a breather from the banking industry. The Indian Banks' Association and the Reserve Bank of India are looking at a proposal allowing easier restructuring of their non-performing assets by giving them a longer timeframe for repayment of debt.In addition, a high-level committee is also likely to be set up by the government to assess

Prime Minister Meets SMEs to Finalize Response To Economic Slowdown

2008-12-08T23:53:00.000-08:00

New Delhi. 8th Dec 2008: Prime Minister Dr. Manomohan Singh met representatives of SMEs today and discussed policy response required to address challenges faced by them amidst economic slowdown. Mr. V.K. Agarwal - Sr. Vice President handed the FISME's Representation to the Prime Minister. Besides the Minister of MSME and Principal Secretary to the PM, Secretary of MSME and DC-MSME were also

Medium, small and micro enterprises feel small

2008-12-07T22:31:00.000-08:00

The medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs), which account for over 40 per cent of India’s industrial production, are unhappy over the fiscal measures that were announced today. Industry representatives from these sectors are likely to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday to present their unmet demands. “The measures may be incremental but inconsequential,” said Anil Bharadwaj,

Govt bets on tax cuts, spending for growth

2008-12-07T21:50:00.000-08:00

The government today slashed Central value added tax (Cenvat) by four percentage points across the board to boost demand and announced Rs 20,000 crore additional non-plan expenditure as part of a much-anticipated package to stimulate the economy hit hard by the global financial crisis.The 10-point package — part of a coordinated effort involving the Reserve Bank of India that slashed key lending

Guarantee limit for MSMEs raised to Rs 1 cr

2008-12-07T21:48:00.001-08:00

The government on Sunday raised the guarantee limit that could be availed by the fund-starved micro and small enterprises from Rs 50 lakh at present to Rs 1 crore, seeking to boost bank credit to the sector. The guarantee cover for the amount up to Rs 50 lakh would continue to be 75% of the loan. For loans of more than Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 1 crore, the guarantee will be 50%.In another move to

Capital market lawyers gain during lean phase

2008-12-06T22:35:00.000-08:00

Capital markets may be going through a lean patch, but the same cannot be said for capital market lawyers, who are suddenly finding their hands full with cases involving private equity firms and promoters.Legal experts say the root cause of the disputes is the lack of exit route for the PE firms because of comatose market conditions. In many of the law suits, the PE firm is putting pressure on

Over 2,000 auto parts units face closure

2008-12-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

The current slump in the automobile sector has delivered a hard knock to component makers — classified as small and tiny enterprises — as about 600 manufacturing units in Jamshedpur have shut down operations, while more than 2,000 other units spread across the country are on the verge of closure.Many of these units categorised under Tier-III suppliers purely survive on minuscule contracts handed

Firms retrench about 700,000 temporary workers: industry body

2008-12-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

Every time a worker’s contract is not renewed or is terminated, the person is taken off TeamLease’s rollsPoornima MohandasBangalore: In a slowdown, the axe typically falls first on temporary workers.Some 700,000 casual and contract labourers have been estimated to have lost jobs in India, mainly in sectors that include export-oriented garment and auto parts manufacturing, banking, and realty,

Small & medium enterprises

2008-11-24T02:44:00.000-08:00

The Assam – Vision 2020 reads that the state will have one of the best infrastructures in Asia to facilitate the largest volume of ‘trade’ between India, China, Bangladesh and the ASEAN countries. To envision this, which unfortunately is seen as a distant dream in the state and in the northeastern states in general, it calls for creating a new ‘trade’ ecosystem, where buoyant business environment

Cash flow drying up for Indian small firms

2008-11-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

By Neil Heathcote Editor, India Business Report, BBC World, PuneMadhu Gupta has a problem.His company, Mojj Engineering Systems, makes large-scale equipment to go into food and chemical plants.But his customers keep calling up to say their own projects are on hold, so they don't need the machinery they've ordered, at least not yet.In fact, most want a discount on it, or to take it on credit.For

Forex losses singe profits of small firms

2008-11-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

M.K. Mittal (name changed), who runs a small software export business with a turnover of Rs 11 crore, is finding the going tough. He has incurred huge losses in a crumbling foreign exchange derivatives market. He is not alone. Industry analysts say the small and medium enterprises have incurred a total loss of about Rs 2,000 crore in the last few months due to the collapse of the forex

Credit taps dry up for small industries

2008-11-06T21:23:00.000-08:00

Lack of deep pockets, creditworthiness, alternative funding sources and endurance power adding to woesMaitreyee Handique When Gurinder Singh, who runs a factory that makes small steel parts for farm tractors and cranes, applied to state-run Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) last month for a Rs20 lakh overdraft to import new machinery, he was turned down for the first time.“We usually enjoy overdrafts of

Markets end week green, liquidity steps brighten outlook

2008-11-01T02:34:00.000-07:00

With Indian equities markets worshipping Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during Diwali this week, some wealth seems to have come back to the battered markets with a key share index ending the week with a gain of 12.5 percent after losing nearly 35 percent in the first three weeks of Oct.The measures taken Saturday by India's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will also help to boost

Leather and footwear products' export made easy

2008-06-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, Joint Secretary (Publications), FISMEIf the profile of your products is leather and footwear and you wish to export it to the niche markets of European countries and in the countries like Denmark, USA, Hong Kong/ China and UAE/ Australia, then the handbook published by FISME (Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises) is a guide that you ‘must’ lay your

Free SMEs from funding woes

2008-06-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Anil Bharadwaj, Secretary General, FISMEThe Federation of Indian Micro & Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) came into being in 1995 to prepare Indian SMEs to the challenges thrown by the changed economic realities. On its agenda is, ensuring better credit facilities for small-scale industries, networking on a national and global scale and encouraging e-commerce. It also wants to ensure for SMEs

Niche opportunities abound in China

2008-06-16T01:14:00.000-07:00

During the last 10 years, a sea change has occurred as to how Indian businesses view China. The fear and awe has been replaced by a realistic understanding of Chinese import ‘threat’. Over the decade, Indian businesses acquainted themselves with Chinese markets by visiting Chinese trade fairs and developing business relationships.Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General,