Free domain & lot more for SMEs

Free domain & lot more for SMEs

Every Company would like to have their presence felt on e-platform and would like to have a website of their open.  This would facilitate they being open to business 24/7/365.   They would be able to showcase their products and services, be found by customers online.  The Webpresence in the form of a Website is so exciting and one would get a feeling of being ‘stand out performer’ amidst competition.  

Quite often you see advertisements of ‘Offers and discount sales’ – somewhat akin to that – there could be rush from a group of Indian Companies to  http://www.indiagetonline.in/ - who have offered free, fast and easy to create websites.  A domain so created would be a professional website, will have a free “xxxx .in”  name hosted free for One year; free e-mail addresses (abc..@xxx.in) and free 365 days support.  

In a Country known for mega projects, big Companies, huge population – small businesses are also considered vital for contributing to socio-economic development.  The small business of the Nation account for a very high % of industrial units and has been a source of employment for millions of Indians.  Being small, they may be invisible to many potential customers; for them now   India Get Your Business Online provides a free website and online tools so that they can run their businesses efficiently.

If you are interested, read on to find whether you fall within the parameters of availing the free offer !!

Small and Medium Enterprises [SME] is a niche segment for Banks for advancing loans – so also for many Companies.   SMEs are companies whose turnover is within specified limits.  It is an acronym often used in European Union and in International Organisations including World Bank, United Nations and WTO.    In India, a Micro enterprise, is one where investment in plant & machinery is below Rs.25 lakhs, as specified by the Ministry of Small Scale Industries vide its notification No. S.O. 1722(E) dated October 5, 2006;  A small enterprise is an enterprise where the investment in plant and machinery  is more than Rs.25 lakh but does not exceed Rs.5 crore; and a  medium enterprise is an enterprise where the investment in plant and machinery  is more than Rs.5 crore but does not exceed Rs.10 crore.  There is further definition for MSMEs as well.

Different sectors though using the nomenclature SME, have their own categorisation of brand SME.   Historically, with the advent of planned economy from 1951 and the subsequent industrial policy followed by Government of India, both planners and Government earmarked a

special role for small-scale industries and medium scale industries in the Indian economy. Due protection was accorded to both sectors, and particularly for smallscale industries from 1951 to 1991, till the nation adopted a policy of liberalization and globalization. Certain products were reserved for small-scale units for a long time, though this list of products is decreasing due to change in industrial policies

and climate. SMEs always represented the model of socio-economic policies of Government of India.  There exists Small & Medium Business Development Chamber of India  also.  

There are reports that ‘Google Inc” the famous search engine is planning to hold three months of free workshops and events across Liverpool to help small firms grow their online businesses.   The Head  of small business initiatives at Google UK,  was quoted as saying: "The internet has created huge opportunities, but many business owners feel they don’t have the expertise they need to help their businesses grow online."  Continuing with its focus on the Indian small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, Google India today announced the launch of Google Global Market Finder - a free online tool for advertisers to find new markets overseas.  The new tool is designed to help Indian businesses expand their business and reach out to potential customers in the international markets. This tool will be available as part of Google Ads for Global Advertisers, a new website and hub for businesses to identify, reach, and engage with customers worldwide.

Google India on 3^rd Nov 2011 launched free Website services for India's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) where firms can set up their own Websites free of cost.  The programme titled India Get Your Business Online provides free Website creation, Internet domain, email facilities and a host of other services for SMEs in the country.

According to the global Internet search major, in the first year the service will be provided free of cost. But from the second year onwards, the user companies would have to pay a nominal fee, depending on the type of service package they opt for. However, Google declined to say how much it would charge from the second year onwards.  Google provides a range of templates and designs from where the firms can choose the layout for their Websites. Interested small business owners would need to submit their PAN (permanent account number) and other tax-related details for verification, after which they would be provided with an online tool for a free Website and Web hosting service for one year.  "While India is home to an estimated eight million small and medium businesses, only about five per cent have a Website. This programme is designed to bridge the information gap that exists online due to the lack of presence of local Indian businesses on the Internet,"

In order to reach out to a larger audience, the services will also be provided in Hindi and regional languages. 15 minutes, is what Google has promised, will take for the website from sitting down to being found online.  So, if you are a SME -  logon to www.indiagetonline.in, get registered and get a free domain.  All that is required is  an ID document, either a Permanant Account Number (PAN), or Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN) or Corporate Identify Number (CIN).   The initiative is only available for Indian companies and so the PAN code is necessary to be submitted to establish Indian status of the company.

There would be more for the SME as the  National Stock Exchange (NSE) aims to launch its Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) exchange platform this month.  The final approval from SEBI is reportedly obtained and the platform is to be launched soon.  The SME exchange will be a separate platform within the NSE and is expected to offer SMEs opportunities to raise equity from the market and unlock the intrinsic value of these enterprises.  According to SEBI sources,  Companies with paid up capital post-issue less than Rs.10 crores would be eligible for listing on SME platform.  Companies in the band of 10 to 25 Crores will have the choice to come to main exchange or to the SME Platform.  

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.