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MSME

SIDBI Collaborates with NSE to Develop Debt Capital Platform for Firms in MSME Sector

The micro, small and medium enterprises are blooming in the country with various government and non-government agencies undertaking several schemes and programmes to increase the investment flow for the firms in the sector. Massive inflow of funds has also helped the sector to stay afloat in even as major business industries suffered and incurred losses owing to the economic slowdown induced by the lockdown imposed to curtail the spread the coronavirus. The MSME sector frayed pretty well in the COVID-19 era as well.

There are various initiatives by public and private sector banks offer equity-based finance to the micro, small and medium enterprises. Even the non-banking financial institutions have extended schemes to support the firms in the MSME sector. However, the need to develop to additional debt and equity instruments to create more financial solvency and soundness in the sector. It is important for the overall development of the sector- capital intensive and labour incentive both. Startups and MSMEs in India Get Major Boost As Indian Bank Signs MoU With SID of IISc for Extending Exclusive Credit Facility to Businesses.

Recently, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) entered into an agreement with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to explore the feasibility of a debt capital platform for the micro, small and medium enterprises. “Keeping in view the large and diversified MSME sector in the country, there is a continuous need for various institutions to co-ordinate and co-operate with each other for the benefit of MSME sector,” V Satya Venkata Rao, Deputy Managing Director of the Small Industries Development Bank of India told the reporters in this contest. MSMEs in Haryana Get Major Boost! Products Manufactured by MSMEs in the State To Get Global Market, Talented Artisans To Benefit.

Taking about the collaboration he said that both the institutions (NSE and SIDBI) run several programmes for the enterprises in the MSME sector, adding that the co-operation will help increase the impact and reach of these programmes. Rao also said that an expert committee on MSMEs, headed by U K Sinha, the former Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has made several recommendations for the micro, small and medium enterprises, including the need to develop additional instruments for debt and equity, which will help crystallise new sources of funding for MSMEs.

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MSME

Union Budget 2021: Here Is What the First Paperless Budget Has In Store for the MSME Sector

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday presented the central government’s Budget for the upcoming financial year 2021-22 in the Parliament. The MSME sector got a fair share of the estimated public expenditure for the next fiscal year set to begin from April 1 this year. In the budget unveiled today in Lok Sabha, Sitharaman has allocated a fund of over Rs 15,000 Crore to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, which stands at double the amount apportioned to the sector last fiscal. “We have taken a number of steps to support the MSME sector in this budget. I have provided Rs 15,700 crore more than double the previous year,” said the Finance Minister. Union Budget 2021: How the post-COVID Budget will Impact the Corporates & Common Taxpayers?

The budget has also slashed the custom duty rates on various commodities to support the MSMEs affected by the COVID-19 induced economic slowdown. Customs duty on semis, flat, and long products of non-alloy, alloy, and stainless steels has been reduced to 7.5 per cent uniformly as per the Union Budget for 2021-22.  “To provide relief to metal recyclers, mostly MSMEs, I am exempting duty on steel scrap for a period up to March 31, 2022. Further, I am also revoking ADD and CVD on certain steel products,” said Nirmala Sitharaman.

The custom duties on steel screws and plastic builder wares has been increased from 10 per cent to 15 per cent while on prawn feed it has increased to 15 per cent from the existing 5 per cent. Meanwhile the duty on cooper scrap has been halved from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent. For MSMEs dealing in the textile industry,  nylon chain has been made in par to polyester and other artificial fabrics as part of easing duty on raw materials and inputs.Union Budget 2021: Healthcare, Infrastructure will remain in the limelight!

In order to provide budgetary incentives to the promoters and exporters of garments, leather and handicraft products that are in the MSME sector, Nirmala Sitharaman announced the withdrawal of exemptions on imports of some types of leathers as they are manufactured domestically in quality and quantity.

Apart from the above measures, the finance minister has announced the establishment of a special framework for MSMEs for debt resolution. To resolve cases faster, the NCLT framework will also be strengthened including the implementation of the e-Courts system from the businesses in the sector. An additional year of tax holiday has also been provided to the affordable housing business.

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Finance Strategy

MSME Ministry Rolls Out New Guidelines for Pottery, Beekeeping Activities to Rejuvenate Grass Root Economy in India

The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) on Thursday announced new guidelines for two more schemes which include ‘Pottery Activity’ and ‘Beekeeping Activity’. The Ministry said that for pottery activity, the government will provide assistance of pottery wheel, clay blunger, and granulator. A total of 6,075 traditional and others (non-traditional) pottery artisans/rural unemployed youth or migrant labourers will be benefited from this scheme. “It will also provide wheel pottery training for traditional pottery artisans and Press Pottery training for pottery as well as non-pottery artisans in Self Help Groups,” it added.

The Ministry had few days back announced expanding and doubling the support to Artisans who might be interested in making Agarbatti. These new initiatives of the Ministry with beneficiary oriented Self-Employment schemes, are aimed at rejuvenating the grass root economy contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

  1. For ‘Pottery Activity’ Government will provide assistance of pottery wheel, Clay Blunger, Granulator etc.
  2. It will also provide Wheel Pottery Training for traditional pottery artisans and Press Pottery training for pottery as well as non-pottery artisans in Self Help Groups.
  3. There is also provision to provide Jigger-Jolly training programme for pottery as well as non-pottery artisan in Self Help Groups.

In case of the Pottery improvements in the Scheme are:

  • Skill-development training on focused products like garden pots, cooking-wares, khullad, water bottles, decorator products, mural, etc. to SHGs of pottery-artisans has been introduced
  • Focus of the new Scheme is to enhance the production, technical know-how of pottery artisans and efficiency of potter energy kilns to reduce cost of production
  • Efforts will be made to develop necessary market linkages by tying up with exports and large buying houses

For ‘Beekeeping Activity’:

  1. In case of the Scheme for ‘Beekeeping Activity’, the government will provide assistance of Bee boxes, Tool kits etc.
  2. Under this scheme, Bee boxes, with Bee colonies, will also be distributed to Migrant workers in Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan (PMGKRA) districts.
  3. A 5 days’ beekeeping training will also be provided to the beneficiaries through various Training Centres /State Beekeeping Extension Centres/ Master Trainers as per prescribed syllabus.

A total of 6,075 traditional and others (non-traditional) pottery artisans/Rural Un-employed youth/Migrant Labourers will get benefitted from this Scheme. As Financial support for the year 2020-21, an amount of Rs.19.50 crore will be expended to support 6,075 artisans with a Centre of Excellence, with MGIRI, Wardha, CGCRI, Khurja, VNIT, Nagpur and suitable IIT/NID/ NIFT etc, for product development, advance skill programme, and quality standardization of products.

Additional amount of Rs 50.00 crore has been provisioned for setting up of clusters in Terracotta, Red clay pottery, with new innovative value added products to build pottery to crockery/ tile making capabilities, under ‘ SFURTI’ scheme of the Ministry.

To begin with, Scheme proposes to cover, during 2020-21, a total of 2,050 Beekeepers, Entrepreneurs, Farmers, Unemployed Youth, Adivasis will get benefitted from these projects/programme.

For this purpose a financial support of Rs 13 crore during 2020-21 has been provisioned to support 2,050 artisans ( 1250 people from Self Help Groups and 800 Migrant labourers), with a Centre of Excellence with CSIR/ IIT Or other Top class Institute to develop honey based new value added products. Additional amount of Rs. 50.00 crore has also been kept for developing Beekeeping honey clusters under the ‘ SFURTI scheme of the Ministry.

It may be recalled that the initiative to rejuvenate Agarbatti making at grass-root level few days back, is a step which also directed towards make India Aatmnirbhar in supply of this household consumption item. The interventions include the support to the artisans through training, raw material, innovation in the fragrance & packaging, use of new / alternate raw materials, marketing and financial support.

The program will immediately benefit about 1500 artisans, in providing sustainable employment with increased earnings. Artisans living in rural areas, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and ‘Migrant workers’ will particularly benefit from the program. In addition to enhancing employment opportunities locally, the programme will also help in capturing the export market in such products.