CHANDIGARH, India, August 4, 2021: Walmart and Flipkart have announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Directorate of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of Haryana, to support MSMEs to grow their domestic and global markets through the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program (Walmart Vriddhi). The program, delivered by knowledge partner Swasti, will provide MSMEs from Haryana training and support free of cost, through a blended learning approach, while also providing
opportunities to join online, offline and export channels and reach pan-India and global marketplaces as part of the supply chains of Walmart, Flipkart and other leading companies. Trainings, seminars, and workshops will also be organized for Haryana MSMEs so that they can access information and enroll in the program.
Walmart Vriddhi has partnered with MSMEs to develop business skills needed to succeed as suppliers to Walmart, Flipkart, and other companies both in India and around the world. The first Walmart Vriddhi e-Institute was launched in Haryana in October 2020, in the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana Shri Manohar Lal Khattar, serving MSMEs from the Panipat-Sonipat-Kundli region. Thousands of entrepreneurs are now working through the multi-level training program, with some already onboarded to Flipkart to expand their digital capabilities and sell across India via the Flipkart marketplace.
On the signing of the MoU, Shri Dushyant Chautala, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Haryana, said, “Haryana has a robust micro, small and medium enterprises sector of over 9.7 lakh units that contributes significantly to industrial growth, in addition to providing employment to more than 19 lakh people. The partnership provides an opportunity for local businesses to become self- reliant and will boost their reach into national markets and facilitate their participation in global value chains. It will also promote regional development and promote products by local artisans and craftsmen to further showcase ‘Brand Haryana’ on the global stage.”
Shri Vijayendra Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Haryana, Industries & Commerce Department, stated, “The Government of Haryana is focused on building a vibrant ecosystem for all businesses in the state, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth. Promoting their growth through digitally enhanced training is a key endeavor in making MSMEs self-reliant. The Walmart Vriddhi program will not only provide our MSMEs access to a pan-India market through the Flipkart marketplace but will also further guide and support them through state schemes that provide access to financial assistance and other support to help revive the sector and position it strongly for future growth.”
Commenting on the partnership, Shri Vikas Gupta, IAS, Director General, Directorate of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of Haryana, noted, “It is the Directorate's endeavor to proactively support, advise and facilitate MSMEs on all the entrepreneurial know-how & business intelligence related gaps; address their business challenges, ensure fast-track grievance resolution, & steer rationalized policy formulation to enable them to unlock their true potential. We are happy to collaborate with Walmart and Flipkart on programs like Walmart Vriddhi which will propel MSMEs to greater success in domestic and international markets.”
Nidhi Munjal, Vice President, International Partnership Services, Walmart, said, “Walmart looks forward to expanding the Walmart Vriddhi program in Haryana. The state is home to a vibrant MSME ecosystem, and we are proud to have inaugurated our first ever e-Institute in the city of Panipat in 2020. We are encouraged by the Government of Haryana’s dedication to expanding growth opportunities for MSMEs and look forward to supporting their efforts by providing access to online and offline markets in India and globally as well as imparting local training and support, free of cost. This is a vital part of our commitment towards sourcing $10 billion annually by 2027 from India, so our consumers can access quality goods, no matter where in the world they are buying. India is a key market for us, and we are committed to helping support and grow communities wherever we operate.”
Shama Karkal, CEO (Chief Executive Officers), Swasti said, “The MoU will enhance the growth and development of MSMEs in the state. Through the Walmart Vriddhi program, we are committed to supporting MSMEs in providing critical market access to help them build resilience for the future.”
Jagjeet Harode, Senior Director & Head – Marketplace, Flipkart said, “Flipkart has deep infrastructure and supply chain investments in the state of Haryana that supports a robust ecosystem for local MSMEs to benefit from our e-commerce marketplace operations. Through our efforts, we hope to continue this long-standing relationship and provide local MSMEs wider market access and business growth that can enable them to stay resilient even during challenging times.”
With e-Institutes in Panipat and Agra, the free program provides a digitally enhanced learning experience through online modules with personalized feedback and one-on-one advisory sessions. The goal is to empower 50,000 MSMEs by 2025. As Walmart triples its exports from India to $10 billion annually by 2027, businesses with export ambitions can learn how to qualify as a Walmart Global Sourcing supplier, taking “Make in India” products to the world.
MSMEs enrolled in the program have benefitted from actionable advice through Vriddhi Cares, a tailored program to help them navigate the impact of COVID-19 on their workforce and business. From pivoting to immediate needs like masks, gowns, and gloves, to providing free telecare services that offers remote access to doctors, nurses, and other health care workers via phone for MSMEs and their families and employees, Walmart Vriddhi, together with Flipkart, have provided easy-to-implement guidelines to overcome challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Walmart and Flipkart will continue their efforts to support the Government of Haryana in empowering MSMEs, through the Flipkart marketplace, Flipkart Wholesale ecosystem and Walmart’s Global Sourcing operations.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 220 million customers and members visit approximately 10,500 stores and clubs under 48 banners in 24 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2021 revenue of $559 billion, Walmart employs 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.
About Swasti
Swasti, a part of the Catalyst Group, is headquartered in Bengaluru, India and active globally with a footprint in 30 countries, was founded in 2004. Swasti co-designs demonstrable and scalable solution models in partnership with communities on the ground and influences policies nationally and internationally. Over the past 15 years, Swasti has directly reached over 400,000 people through its initiatives, including more than 238,000 factory workers, the majority of whom are women.
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