Lok Sabha Question No. 470 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-04
Subject: Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dayanidhi Maran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 470

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2022

## FINANCIAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON WOMEN

## 470.     SHRI DAYANIDHI MARAN:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Ministry  has  conducted  any  assessment  or  received  any  reports  or  held consultations with stakeholders regarding the financial impact of COVID-19 on women entrepreneurs and MSMEs run by women SHGs and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Ministry  has  conducted  any  assessment  or  received  any  reports  or  held consultations  with  stakeholders  regarding  the  disbursement  or  utilisation  of  stimulus packages and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of stimulus schemes availed by women entrepreneurs and SHGs item-wise, State-wise and year-wise; and
- (d) the  total  number  of  women  beneficiaries  of  schemes  announced  by  the  Union Government in the wake of COVID-19, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI )

(a) to (d):  The Government has taken several initiatives to support and protect the interest of women   entrepreneurs  and  MSME  through  stimulus  given  under  Aatma  Nirbhar  Bharat Packages to combat the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The packages comprise of schemes  having  impact  across  various  sectors  of  the  economy.  The  review  of  the  progress made  in  implementation  of  the  stimulus  package  announced  under Aatma  Nirbhar  Bharat Packages is done regularly. The specific initiatives taken to protect women entrepreneurs and MSMEs during covid-19 are as under:

1. Rs. 3 lakh crore Emergency Working Capital Facility for Businesses, including MSMEs.
2. Rs. 20,000 crore Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs.
3. Rs. 50,000 crore equity infusion through MSME Fund of Funds.
4. New Definition of MSME and other Measures for MSME.
5. Rs. 10,000 crore scheme for formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE)
6. Relief of Rs. 1500 crore to MUDRA loanees.
7. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs, businesses, MUDRA borrowers and individuals.
8. Rs. 5000 crore Credit facility for Street Vendors.
9. Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, a total of 20.40 crores (approx) women account holders ( Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna)  were given an ex-gratia of Rs 500 per month for three months.
10. For Self-Help groups(SHGs), limit of collateral free lending was increased from Rs. 10 lakhs  to  Rs.  20  lakhs  for  women  organized  through  63  lakh  Self  Help  Groups  ,  who supported 6.85 crore households.

The Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package is reviewed and monitored by Ministry of Finance. The assessment or consultations with stakeholders regarding the financial impact of COVID-19 on women entrepreneurs and MSMEs run by women SHGs are the mandated functions of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the Ministry of Rural Development.

*****