Guwahati: World MSME day was celebrated on June 27 across the globe. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) continue to be the mainstay of the Indian and worldwide economies.
Speaking to Business North East, Secretary of Industries, Commerce and public enterprises Lakshmanan S said “There was a programme in new Delhi - Udyami Bharat. Government of Assam signed an Memorandum of Understanding for utilising Udyam Based information system for planning cluster based Common Facility Centers (CFCs) for MSME Facilitation, credit linkage and e Market development".
In India, MSMEs add around 30 percent to the country’s GDP and over 45 percent to exports, playing a crucial role in developing entrepreneurship, making employment, and sanctioning comprehensive growth at the grassroots level.
Globally, MSMEs control the business ecosystem, on behalf of nearly 90 percent of enterprises and providing over 50 percent of total employment.
In India, they rank as the second-largest employment sector after agriculture.
Recognising their critical importance, the United Nations designated June 27 as International MSME Day in 2017. This year, the Ministry of MSME is celebrating under the banner ‘Udyami Bharat – MSME Day,’ focusing on the theme “Enhancing the Role of MSMEs as Drivers of Sustainable Growth and Innovation” for 2025.
With over 6.3 crore enterprises, the MSME sector in India is a vibrant force driving entrepreneurship and employment. The Ministry of MSME has propelled several key initiatives to endorse development in credit access, skill development, technology adoption, and market growth.
One such initiative is the PM Vishwakarma scheme, launched in September 2023 with an outlay of Rs.13,000 crore to uplift traditional artisans by improving product quality and market connectivity.
As of June 26, 2025, over 2.71 crore applications have been received, with nearly 30 lakh successfully registered. The Udyam Registration Portal, launched in 2020, offers a free, paperless registration process for MSMEs, further supported by the Udyam Assist Platform introduced in 2023 to help informal micro-enterprises access formal benefits such as Priority Sector Lending.
The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), a credit-linked subsidy scheme supporting self-employment in the non-farm sector, has assisted over 9.87 lakh micro-enterprises since its inception in 2008-09, disbursing Rs. 26,124 crore in subsidies and generating employment for more than 80 lakh people. In the current fiscal year, 58,028 new units have been supported, creating jobs for over 4.6 lakh individuals, with applications now accepted in 11 regional languages to broaden outreach.
The Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), operational since 2005, has organised 513 artisan clusters to improve competitiveness and income, with 376 clusters currently functional across various states.
In the meantime, the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs mandates that 25 percent of annual procurement by central ministries and public sector units comes from MSEs, including specific quotas for SC/ST and women-owned enterprises. In FY 2024-25, procurement crossed Rs. 37,190 crore, exceeding the mandated targets.
The government is also vigorously promoting the Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) sector through the Khadi and Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (KGVY). Over the past decade, KVI sales have increased more than fourfold, rising from Rs. 33,135 crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 1,55,673 crore in 2023-24, while production has tripled, underscoring the sector’s robust growth. International cooperation has further strengthened MSMEs’ global competitiveness through participation in fairs, exhibitions, and technology exchange.
Recent 2024 initiatives include partnerships with Japan, the USA, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Egypt, and the US Small Business Administration, aimed at development of bilateral growth and knowledge division.
In addition to these partnerships, the Ministry of MSME launched multiple campaigns in 2024 to promote digital empowerment, gender inclusion, innovation, rural enterprise, and administrative efficiency.
The Special Campaign 4.0 achieved its targets for cleanliness and eco-friendly practices while generating revenue by disposing obsolete items. The MSME-TEAM Scheme supports 5 lakh MSEs, including 2.5 lakh women-led enterprises, in digital on boarding and logistics.
The Yashasvini Campaign spreads gender parity by cheering formalisation and e-commerce adoption among women entrepreneurs. The MSME Hackathon 4.0 is fostering innovation by funding 500 young entrepreneurs, and the Centre for Rural Enterprise Acceleration through Technology (CREATE) in Leh promotes rural livelihoods through skill training and technology for products like Pashmina wool.
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General, MSMEs are revolutionising India’s economic landscape by driving innovation, generating employment, and authorising local groups, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
With strong policy backing, digital tools, and expanding market access, these enterprises are emerging as engines of sustainable and inclusive growth.
The celebration of MSME Day in 2025 is a testament to how small businesses continue to shape a self-reliant and future-ready India.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
