New Delhi, Apr 17 (KNN) The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has intensified stakeholder engagement and support measures for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in response to evolving global developments, including the situation in West Asia.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing, Dr. Rajneesh, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner, said the Ministry is holding regular consultations with MSME associations at central, state and sub-state levels, while field offices remain in continuous contact with enterprises.
Expanded credit, liquidity and raw material support
He said, “More than 20 lakh MSMEs were newly registered on the Udyam Registration Portal during February-March, taking the total number of registered units to over 8 crore. This is the sign of resilience of India.”
Credit support to the sector has remained strong, with outstanding lending exceeding Rs 36.7 lakh crore and growth of annual credit to MSMEs recorded to 23.5 percent.
In a key policy move, the collateral-free lending limit for micro and small enterprises has been doubled from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, effective April 1, 2026. Credit guarantee support has also expanded, with over 5.27 lakh guarantees amounting to Rs 92,000 crore extended during February-March.
On liquidity, the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) has witnessed significant growth in invoice discounting, rising from Rs 4,300 crore in 2022 to over Rs 7 lakh crore currently. Of this, Rs 85,000 crore was recorded during February-March alone.
National small industries corporation (NSIC) is providing raw materials to MSMEs. Through this more than 1.05 metric tonnes of raw material has been made available. In the month of March, more than 37000 metric tonnes of raw material has been provided. Major raw materials include iron and steel.
Export relief and continued policy support
Relief scheme has also been provided by the Department of Commerce under export promotion mission from 19th March, 2026. It provides reimbursement of up to 50 percent of the additional freight and insurance surcharge to the non ECGC MSME exporters.
The Ministry said it continues to adopt a whole-of-government approach and is closely monitoring the situation to ensure timely support for MSMEs.
Dr. Rajneesh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the MSME sector through coordinated policy measures and continuous engagement with stakeholders.
(KNN Bureau)
2012-01-26
