Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises India

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has emerged as a highly vibrant and dynamic sector of the Indian economy over the last five decades. MSMEs not only play crucial role in providing large employment opportunities at comparatively lower capital cost than large industries but also help in industrialization of rural & backward areas, thereby, reducing regional imbalances, assuring more equitable distribution of national income and wealth. MSMEs are complementary to large industries as ancillary units and this sector contributes enormously to the socio-economic development of the country.

Khadi is the proud legacy of our national freedom movement and the father of the nation. Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) are two national heritages of India. One of the most significant aspects of KVI in Indian economy is that it creates employment at a very low per capita investment. The KVI Sector not only serves the basic needs of processed goods of the vast rural sector of the country, but also provides sustainable employment to rural artisans. KVI today represent an exquisite, heritage product, which is 'ethnic' as well as ethical. It has a potentially strong clientele among the middle and upper echelons of the society.

Coir Industry is an agro-based traditional industry, which originated in the state of Kerala and proliferated to the other coconut producing states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, Tripura, etc. It is an export oriented industry and having greater potential to enhance exports by value addition through technological interventions and diversified products like Coir Geotextiles etc. The acceptability of Coir products has increased rapidly due to its 'environment friendly' image.

Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M/o MSME) envision a vibrant MSME sector by promoting growth and development of the MSME Sector, including Khadi, Village and Coir Industries, in cooperation with concerned Ministries/Departments, State Governments and other Stakeholders, through providing support to existing enterprises and encouraging creation of new enterprises.

The Micro; Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act was notified in 2006 to address policy issues affecting MSMEs as well as the coverage and investment ceiling of the sector. The Act seeks to facilitate the development of these enterprises as also enhance their competitiveness. It provides the first-ever legal framework for recognition of the concept of "enterprise" which comprises both manufacturing and service entities. It defines medium enterprises for the first time and seeks to integrate the three tiers of these enterprises, namely, micro, small and medium. The Act also provides for a statutory consultative mechanism at the national level with balanced representation of all sections of stakeholders, particularly the three classes of enterprises; and with a wide range of advisory functions. Establishment of specific funds for the promotion, development and enhancing competitiveness of these enterprises, notification of schemes/programmes for this purpose, progressive credit policies and practices, preference in Government procurements to products and services of the micro and small enterprises, more effective mechanisms for mitigating the problems of delayed payments to micro and small enterprises and assurance of a scheme for easing the closure of business by these enterprises are some of the other features of the Act.

On 9 May 2007, subsequent to an amendment of the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, erestwhile Ministry of Small Scale Industries and the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries were merged to form the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (M/o MSME). This Ministry now designs policies and promotes/ facilitates programmes, projects and schemes and monitors their implementation with a view to assisting MSMEs and help them to scale up.

The primary responsibility of promotion and development of MSMEs is of the State Governments. However, the Government of India, supplements the efforts of the State Governments through various initiatives. The role of the M/o MSME and its organizations is to assist the States in their efforts to encourage entrepreneurship, employment and livelihood opportunities and enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs in the changed economic scenario. The schemes/ programmes undertaken by the Ministry and its organizations seek to facilitate/provide: i) adequate flow of credit from financial institutions/banks; ii) support for technology upgradation and modernization; iii) integrated infrastructural facilities; iv) modern testing facilities and quality certification; v) access to modern management practices; vi) entrepreneurship development and skill upgradation through appropriate training facilities; vii) support for product development, design intervention and packaging; viii) welfare of artisans and workers; ix) assistance for better access to domestic and export markets and x) cluster-wise measures to promote capacity-building and empowerment of the units and their collectives.