To support organisations and start-ups in adopting emerging industry technologies, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is launching a new initiative. It has issued a proposal for an 'Industry 4.0 Baseline Survey among MSMEs' to align with its broader vision of promoting digital transformation and preparing industries for the arrival of 5G and 6G technologies.
The main purpose of the survey is to understand the challenges faced by MSMEs in adopting advanced technologies and Industry 4.0. The contemporary era of digitally integrated manufacturing and industrial processes is referred to as Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
As per a government statement, “The survey will aim to lay the groundwork for a robust ecosystem capable of capitalising on the capabilities offered by AI, IoT, cloud computing, and the integration of 5G and 6G networks.”
Read: CII's Project Digital Saksham Boosting Bengal MSMEs Digital Transformation
Recognising the diverse landscape of MSMEs, identifying sector-specific needs of the various sectors, and fostering competitiveness by providing support will be the aim of the survey. To participate in the survey, organisations and start-ups can submit their proposals by June 11, 2024.
Over the course of 60 days, the study will attempt to cover five sectors in each of the northern and southern regions of India. As per the government statement, “The key recommendations (of the survey) will form the platform for policy interventions to achieve the transformative adoption of Industry 4.0, leading to enhanced competitive positioning and the survivability of MSMEs.”
To analyse the data, offline and online surveys and interviews will be conducted to collect primary data. Once the data is analysed, policy recommendations will be included in the survey report. Further, along with addressing the barriers that are prevalent to digital transformation, a government statement says that the survey should also "pave the way for the cyber-physical system through seamless integration of appropriate sensors using 5G and 6G technologies."
