Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to inaugurate KASSIA’s platinum jubilee celebrations on May 17

The event will see participation from key stakeholders, including major MSME units, industry leaders, policymakers, and heads of various departments

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) on May 17 at the Gnana Jyothi Auditorium in Bengaluru.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (PTI)

Addressing a press meet on Tuesday, KASSIA President M G Rajagopal said the Chief Minister will also launch the platinum jubilee logo and unveil several e-initiatives, including a B2B portal, Udyog portal, and an e-commerce portal.

The event will see participation from key stakeholders, including major MSME units, industry leaders, policymakers, and heads of various departments from both the central and state governments, Rajagopal added.

Among the dignitaries expected to attend are Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar; Karnataka’s Minister for Small Scale Industries, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur; MLA of Challakere constituency and Chairman of the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Board, T Raghu Murthy; and Govindarajanagar MLA Priya Krishna.

KASSIA was established in 1949 by freedom fighter R S Aradhya, who served as its founder president for 18 years.

Over the past seven decades, KASSIA has played a pivotal role in promoting the interests of MSMEs in Karnataka, Rajagopal said.

The state’s MSME sector contributes 2.2 per cent to the national GDP, with consistent growth in exports and substantial employment generation—making a significant impact on innovation and industrial development, he added.

According to him, KASSIA currently has over 13,000 direct members and 132 affiliated associations, primarily involved in the manufacturing sector.