Him MSME Fest 2026. Trade and tourists and locals.
Shimla:
Even as Shimla reeled under tourist rush and traffic congestion, the much-publicised Him MSME Fest–2026 on the historic Ridge has turned out to be a hype versus hard outcomes.
Despite being held at a time when the city was catering to lakhs of tourists and a local population of over three lakh, the three-day event could generate business of only about ₹30 lakh.
The modest figure has raised eyebrows, particularly because heavyweight names such as CII, EY (Ernst & Young) and Amazon were projected as part of the larger MSME push.
With such branding and footfall, expectations were high that local micro, small and medium enterprises would clock significantly higher sales.
Cost versus outcome under scanner
Trade circles point out that when expenditure on tenting at the Ridge, event management, logistics, publicity and protocol-related hospitality—including gifts to VIPs—is put together, the return appears thin.
Critics privately term it a case of big noise, small delivery, questioning whether public money was optimally utilised by the Industries Department.
Transparency missing again
As with most government-sponsored events, exact details of spending on event management have not been made public.
The breakup of costs—ranging from infrastructure and logistics to branding and hospitality—remains under wraps, even though taxpayers’ money funded the entire exercise.
The absence of financial disclosure has once again triggered concerns over transparency and accountability in publicly funded programmes.
Visibility, not volumes
Officials defend the fest by arguing that its objective was visibility rather than immediate turnover.
Over 50 stalls, including factory outlet counters, showcased Himachal’s handloom, leather goods, food products and wood-based items.
Tourists did shop and local entrepreneurs did get exposure—an outcome the department says will yield long-term benefits.
Industry Director Dr Yunus said such platforms help local products access markets, promote entrepreneurship and support employment generation, stressing that MSME growth cannot be judged only through short-term sales.
The larger question
As the curtains fall on Him MSME Fest–2026, the question lingers: could the same resources have delivered deeper, sustained support to local enterprises beyond a three-day spectacle on the Ridge?
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