Skill, Labour, Talent for MSMEs: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has appointed Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officer Mercy Epao as the new Joint Secretary (JS) – SME Division. Epao was elevated to the JS rank from her earlier position as the Director – SME Division at the MSME Ministry exactly where she was managing the International Cooperation section, Coordination section, EDI section, and Media cell. Previously, Epao was the Director at the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.
Epao was amongst the 10 directors across numerous ministries and departments which includes Women and Child Development, Education, Mines, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Civil Aviation, Cabinet Secretariat, and Central Vigilance Commission who have been appointed as Joint Secretaries in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) with impact from the date of their assumption of charge to the post in their respective ministries or departments, according to a current order by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.
In the most current key rejig at the ministry as component of the general cabinet reshuffle in July this year for the duration of the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MSME Ministry portfolio, which was earlier held by Nitin Gadkari, was allocated to Narayan Tatu Rane – former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Rane, 69, had earlier also served as the Cabinet Minister for Industry, Port, Employment and Self-employment verticals in the Maharashtra government.
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MSME Ministry was comprised of 3 joint secretaries for SME, ARI, and AFI divisions. The agro and rural sector (ARI) division and AFI division have been headed by Alka Arora and Ateesh Kumar Singh respectively. According to the ministry, whilst the SME division was allocated the work of administration, vigilance, and administrative supervision of the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), along with the implementation of unique schemes, the ARI division looked following the administration of statutory bodies such as KVIC, Coir Board, Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI). It also supervises the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). AFI division integrated work and projects connected to HR, vigilance section, billing section, Hindi section, and more.