Lok Sabha Question No. 791 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: MSMEs in Akola
Ministry: MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 791 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 24.07.2025

## MSMEs IN AKOLA

## 791.           SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE:

Will the Minister of MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:

- (a) the  specific  support  being  provided  by  the  Government  to  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises (MSMEs)  in  the  Akola  district  in  Maharashtra  to  boost  exports,  particularly  in  the  cotton  industry considering that Akola is the largest cotton-growing district;
- (b) the initiatives taken by the Government to promote e-commerce exports among MSMEs in Akola; and
- (c) the number of MSMEs in Akola that have benefitted from these export promotion initiatives and the plans to expand these initiatives to support more MSMEs in the region?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a)  to (c): Ministry  of  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises  is  implementing  a  scheme  namely, 'International Cooperation Scheme'which aims for capacity building of MSMEs for entering export market by facilitating and supporting their participation in international exhibitions, fairs, conferences, seminar and buyer-seller  meets  abroad  as  well  as  reimbursement  of  various  costs  involved  in  export  of  goods  and servicesthroughout the country including Akola. The scheme has following components:

Market Development Assistance (MDA): Under this component financial assistance is provided for participation of MSMEs  as  exhibitors  in delegations led by Industry/Government  Associations in international exhibitions, trade fairs and buyer-seller meet in foreign countries.

Capacity Building of First Time Exporters (CBFTE) : It offers reimbursements to micro and small exporters,  with  an  IEC  Code/Registration  under  3  years,  for  expenses  related  to  Registration-cumMembership Certification (RCMC) charges/fee paid to Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), export insurance premiums paid to Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Ltd (ECGC), and testing and quality certification for exports.

The details of MSMEs of Maharashtra supported during last two years under International Cooperation Scheme are given below:-

| Financial Year   |   Number of MSMEs provided assistance | Amount released (in rupees)   |
|------------------|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 2023-24          |                                   122 | 4,72,15,131                   |
| 2024-25          |                                    65 | 2,13,11,721                   |

Furthermore,  65  Export  Facilitation  Centers  (EFCs)  have  been  established  across  the  country including ,05 EFCs in Maharashtra, in various field offices of the Ministry of MSME such as DFOs/Tool Rooms/Testing  Centres  with  the  aim  to  provide  requisite  mentoring  and  handholding  to  MSMEs  in exporting their products and services.

The  Directorate  General  of  Foreign  Trade  (DGFT)  has  initiated  the  pilot  launch  of  E-Commerce Export Hubs to assist MSMEs and traditional artisans across the country in expanding theirexports through e-commerce.  These  hubs  aim  to  streamline  regulatory  and  logistics  processes  byproviding  end-to-end support for cross-border e-commerce exports, including faster clearance andsimplified returns management.