FLO Mumbai, under the leadership of Chairperson Ms. Seema Saroj, hosted a meeting with the MSME Ministry in Mumbai for a meaningful engagement. Discussions were held with the top officials from the MSME Ministry regarding potential collaboration and building an inclusive platform where women-led businesses can easily integrate with the MSME framework through Udyam Registration.
Mr. Milind Barapatre – Joint Director, MSME, and Mr. Sunil Khunjare – Deputy Director, MSME-DFO participated in the meeting, who interacted with the team members of FLO Mumbai, including Ms. Seema Saroj – Chairperson; Ms. Heena Shah – Vertical Head MSME & Export; Ms. Jyoti M. Tiwari – Co-Vertical Head, MSME & Export Vertical; and Ms. Archana Burman – Past Chairperson. Overall, the meeting focused on:
- Formalization of women-led enterprises.
- Increased access to government schemes
- Strengthening market linkages and procurement participation.
- Enabling export readiness and global exposure.
One of the main highlights of the meeting are formalization through MSME registration will help women entrepreneurs in accessing government schemes and policy benefits. Also, it will strengthen market linkages and procurement opportunities. It will drive scalability and sustainability for women entrepreneurs.
The Chairperson highlighted the need to create a cohesive MSME ecosystem within FLO Mumbai, where members are not only networked but also recognized, registered, and growth-enabled, enterprises are aligned with national economic frameworks. This set the tone for a detailed discussion with MSME officials, focusing on actionable pathways to:
- Collaboration opportunities between the MSME Ministry & FLO Mumbai.
- Awareness and adoption of MSME schemes.
- Strengthening women-led enterprises.
- Market access, procurement, and export opportunities.
Key Discussion Points & Potential Outcomes
- FLO Bazaar – MSME PMS Registration
- FLO Bazaar can be registered under the MSME Procurement & Marketing Support
(PMS) Scheme.
- Eligibility requires a minimum of 60 participants.
- Eligible events can avail reimbursement up to ₹1.5 lakhs.
Outcome:
FLO Mumbai to assess upcoming Bazaar events for PMS eligibility and application in process.
- Reimbursement Schemes – Trademark Support
- MSME schemes offer Trademark Registration Fee reimbursement.
- Aimed at strengthening brand identity and IP protection for MSMEs.
Outcome:
FLO to create structured awareness and support members in availing these benefits.
- Udyam Registration Camp
- Proposal to organize a dedicated Udyam Registration Drive
- Focus on onboarding unregistered FLO members into the MSME ecosystem
Outcome:
FLO MSME Vertical to coordinate with the MSME office for execution.
- Vendor Development Program (VDP)
- Opportunity to align with Public Procurement Policy (PPP)
- Key highlight: 3% procurement mandate for women-owned enterprises
Outcome:
FLO to explore hosting a Vendor Development Program connecting members with procurement agencies.
- National MSME Seminar
- Opportunity to participate in or co-host a National MSME Seminar on 27 June 2026.
Outcome:
FLO leadership to evaluate collaboration for national-level positioning.
- International Cooperation (IC) Delegation
- MSME supports international exposure through delegations.
- Requirement:
o Minimum 10 participants
o Mandatory Udyam Registration
Outcome
FLO to identify and prepare eligible women entrepreneurs for participation.
Impact
This engaging meeting with officials from the MSME Ministry provided actionable pathways to FLO Mumbai in increasing awareness and adoption of MSME benefits among FLO members. Also, the meeting emphasized the need for structured enablement and handholding.
Overall, the MSME engagement meeting established a strong foundation for collaboration between the MSME Ministry and FLO Mumbai, with a shared focus on formalization of women-led enterprises, increased access to government schemes, and strengthening market linkages and procurement participation.