INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - the Ministry of Industry today awarded Upakarti Award, Best Design Award for Indonesia and Quality Excellence Creation Award in 2017.

Minister of Industry, Airlangga Hartarto in his speech said that this award is an affirmation of the government's commitment to the achievement of industrial society in order to encourage the growth of motivation to gain more achievement in the development of industrial sector.

"This award is expected to provide encouragement to SMEs in increasing production and marketing," Airlangga said during the award ceremony in the field of Industry in 2017 at the Ministry of Industry, Jakarta, Wednesday (02/08/2017).

He added that with the achievements shown by IKM and local government support, national economic growth in the future should be driven by the capacity and capacity of domestic resources from time to time and not in competition with the capabilities possessed by other countries.

As known, IKM is an industrial sub-sector that barely has an 'entry barrier'. This industry can be done almost by anyone and anywhere. The scope of IKM commodities ranging from cultivating local resources, both natural resources, skills and traditions of local communities to the execution of orders that require knowledge and skills and special abilities.

Furthermore, Airlangga revealed, at this time some of IKM has managed to penetrate foreign market or related to integration with big industry. Others are still entangled with basic problems such as shortages of raw materials, undeveloped designs, machines and equipment that are not up to date and difficulty in accessing capital resources.

"Seeing the size of the population and the scope of IKM's problems, it is not possible for the central government to coach without the participation of local governments and communities in order to encourage SMEs to overcome the problems faced," Airlangga said.

The Ministry of Industry continues to provide IKM development and development programs, among others, the growth of new entrepreneurs, the development of SMEs through product development, capacity building and UPT, providing machinery and production equipment, expanding market access through promotion and exhibition either conventionally or digitally, Intellectual property, facilitation of product and packaging quality certification, and financing facilitation through KUR scheme.

"IKM coaching program conducted by the Directorate General of IKM Ministry of Industry above, is expected to produce competent and highly competitive business actors," said Minister of Industry.

minister of industry hopes this award can be used as a new energy source in establishing the determination to continue to improve efforts in the development of SMEs. "The active role and caring of a great person is urgently needed, and it can also be an example and reference for other designers," Airlangga added.

The holding of this conferment is conducted every two years. To that end, the minister hopes that the Heads of Industry and Trade in the regions continue to increase public participation in encouraging the development of SMEs and more carefully pay attention to those who have made a real effort in helping develop SMEs in the region.

"I hope this award can be used as a new energy source to continue to improve the SME development effort," he concluded.