Bangalore, Nov 2: Justdial, India’s No. 1 local search engine, announces today that it has signed an MOU with the Industries & Commerce (I&C) Department under the aegis of the Government of Telangana, in a bid to digitize MSMEs in the state.

The partnership will help MSMEs adapt to ways of doing business digitally, guide them to realize their full marketing potential and help them reach out to customers in an effective way. The MSMEs are spread across Tier 1, 2, and beyond cities such as Hyderabad, Suryapet, Adilabad, Nizamabad, etc.

Besides getting access to Justdial’s deep reach and penetration in the market, Justdial also aims to provide this MSMEs access to the brand’s other offerings soon like JD Mart, India’s fastest growing B2B platform, JD Xperts, a platform for on-demand home services and JD Pay, an online payment system for traders, businesses of all sizes.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. V. S. S. Mani – MD & CEO, Justdial, said: “Contributing abundantly to the socio-economic development of the nation, MSMEs form the backbone of the Indian economy. With businesses moving online, it has become imperative for MSMEs to adopt a digital-first strategy that would help them to increase reach and build scale. We are delighted to partner with the Government of Telangana in helping MSMEs build digital infrastructure and improve their digital footprints to sustain themselves. MSMEs will gain from Justdial’s wide suite of digital services that are designed for growth transformation.”

Shri. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Government of Telangana, said, “We are happy to collaborate with one of India’s leading search Engines ‘Just Dial’ to promote Telangana MSMEs on their platform. The pandemic has underscored the importance of digital presence for businesses and this partnership will support our local MSMEs get access to pan-India markets and increase their discoverability.”

As a part of the MOU, businesses/enterprises/industries registered with the Industries & Commerce (I&C) Department of the Telangana Government will be listed on Justdial, and eligible manufacturers, producers, traders, and suppliers dealing in bulk or B2B dealings can also be listed on JD Mart, Justdial’s dedicated B2B platform. The partnership addresses the challenge of information asymmetry with an intent to rejuvenate the industrial sector of Telangana.

With the shared commitment of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) Department towards the expansion and creation of a sustainable business ecosystem in the state, and Justdial’s efforts would complement the programs and state-run schemes for the growth of the businesses and industries in Telangana. A synergy, in the form of a public-private partnership, will provide an enabling environment for businesses of all sorts in Telangana, thereby improving the ease of doing business.