LEH: The Ladakh administration on Wednesday reviewed the issue of delayed payments to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and discussed the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanism to expedite settlement of payment-related disputes.
The meeting was held at the Conference Hall of the District Industries Centre (DIC), Leh, under the chairmanship of Sonam Norbo, JKAS, Director, Industries & Commerce, Ladakh, and Chairman of the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (MSEFC).
The meeting focused on creating greater awareness among Government officers about the MSME Samadhaan platform, statutory provisions governing delayed payments and mechanisms available to MSMEs for recovering outstanding dues.
Norbo stressed the need for Government Departments and agencies to ensure timely clearance of dues owed to MSMEs and called for greater understanding of the statutory framework governing delayed payments.
The meeting also examined the use of the Online Dispute Resolution mechanism for resolving delayed-payment disputes and providing MSMEs with a digital route to seek redress.
The Joint Director, MSME-DFO, Jammu, joined the meeting virtually and provided guidance on provisions governing delayed payments and the ODR mechanism.
Isha Agarwal, Consultant, MSE-ODR Scheme, Ministry of MSME, made a detailed presentation on the legal and institutional framework for delayed payments. She explained the statutory right of MSMEs to timely payment, obligations of buyers, interest applicable on delayed payments and the process for referring disputes to the MSEFC.
The presentation also covered the constitution and functions of the MSEFC and other statutory safeguards available to MSMEs.
Agarwal outlined provisions of the MSMED (Amendment) Act, 2026, including measures relating to liquidity through the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS), faster adjudication of delayed-payment disputes, online hearings for suppliers, additional and differently constituted Facilitation Councils, and consolidated statutory timelines.
She also explained the functioning of the MSME Online Dispute Resolution Portal, including its Digital Guided Pathway (DGP) and the various stages of proceedings before the MSEFC.
The portal, the meeting was told, is intended to provide MSMEs with a more accessible digital mechanism for pursuing delayed-payment disputes and facilitate their timely resolution.
An interactive question-and-answer session followed, during which officers and representatives raised issues concerning delayed payments and discussed practical challenges in resolving such disputes.
Heads of Departments, Accounts Officers and senior officials from various Government Departments attended the meeting. Officials posted outside Leh participated virtually through Google Meet.
Representatives of the Chamber of Industries & Commerce, Leh and Kargil, along with MSME members, also participated and placed before the authorities issues faced by enterprises in securing timely payments and resolving related disputes.
The meeting underscored the need for closer coordination among Government Departments, agencies and MSME stakeholders to ensure timely payment of dues and improve the dispute-resolution framework in Ladakh.
