Lok Sabha Question No. 1404 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Zia Ur Rehman, Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE

## LOK SABHA

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री ( श्री णिणिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a)to (c) : Government has implemented various measures/schemes across the country including in non-metro regions to promote entrepreneurship among the youth; support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); promote incubation; and improve ease of doing business. Details of such initiatives are placed as Annexure-I .

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UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1404.

TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 29 TH  JULY, 2025.

## ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS

1404.  SHRI ZIA UR REHMAN:

SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state: वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) whether the Government is aware that a large number of aspiring entrepreneurs and youth,  especially  from  Tier-II  and  Tier-III  cities,  face  challenges  in  accessing  skill development, incubation support and export-oriented training;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  being  taken  under  schemes  such  as Startup  India,  Make  in  India,  and  other  industrial  promotion  initiatives  to  boost entrepreneurship, support MSMEs, establish district-level incubation hubs and improve ease of doing business; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANNEXURE-I

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (c)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1404 FOR ANSWER ON 29.07.2025.

## 1.  Boosting Entrepreneurship

The  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship  (MSDE)  through  its autonomous  organizations,  namely  National  Institute  for  Entrepreneurship  and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE)  has  taken  various  initiatives  to  promote  entrepreneurship  development amongst all sections of the society. These initiatives include Skills Acquisition and Knowledge  Awareness  for  Livelihood  Promotion  (SANKALP)  Scheme,  Project Swavalambini,  Skill  Strengthening  for  Industrial  Value  Enhancement  (STRIVE), Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAP), Entrepreneurship Development Programmes  (EDP),  Faculty  Development  Programmes  (FDP),  Pradhan  Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyaan (PM-JANMAN), Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDC) in North East Region's Educational Institutions, and Udyam Disha - Mentor Platform.

Under the Government's Skill India Mission (SIM), MSDE provides skill, re-skill and up-  skill  training  through  an  extensive  network  of  skill  development  centres/ institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY),  Jan  Shikshan  Sansthan  (JSS),  National  Apprenticeship  Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), across the country.

Under  the  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  the  Deendayal  Antyodaya  YojanaNational Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) through Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) supports Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their family members to set-up small enterprises in the non-farm livelihoods sector.

Under Startup India initiative, Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS), States' Startup  Ranking  Framework  exercise,  National  Startup  Awards,  events  such  as Innovation Week and Startup Mahakumbh, digital platforms such as the Startup India  portal  and  BHASKAR,  activities  to  encourage  corporates  to  supporting startups  by  way  of  mentorship,  access  to  infrastructure,  sharing  resources  and knowledge,  assistance  in  market  linkages  and  investor  connect  and  district outreach programs are undertaken to encourage grassroots innovation and setting up of startups across the country by entrepreneurs.

The Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell (MIC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) promotes innovation and entrepreneurship across educational institutions.

Youth-centric initiatives have been introduced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports such as setting up of the autonomous body called Mera Yuva Bharat (MY

Bharat),  the  purpose  of  it,  is  to  provide  an  over-arching  institutional  mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development through Experiential  Learning  Programs  (ELPs),  volunteering  opportunities,  mentorship programme, etc.

The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  (MoMA)  implements  various  skill  development schemes  namely  'Seekho  Aur  Kamao',  'Upgrading  the  Skills  and  Training  in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD)', 'Nai Roshni' and 'Nai Manzil' for  socio-economic  development  of  youth  from  minority  communities.  These schemes and initiatives have now been converged into an integrated Scheme called 'Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan' (PM VIKAS).

## 2.  Supporting MSMEs

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) through Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESDP) aims to promote new enterprises, build capacity of existing MSMEs and inculcate entrepreneurial culture in the country. Ministry of MSME, through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), is also implementing Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for assisting entrepreneurs in setting up of new enterprises in the nonfarm sector. Schemes to support MSMEs to make them more competitive at global level  and  enhance  exports,  such  as,  Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation Programme,  Credit  Guarantee  Scheme  for  Micro  and  Small  Enterprises,  PM Vishwakarma Scheme, Entrepreneurship & Skill Development Programme Scheme, Micro and Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme, Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance, MSME Champions Scheme, Tool Room and Technical  Institutions  (TR  &  TI),  International  Cooperation  (IC)  Scheme  etc.  are being undertaken. The Udyam Registration Portal for MSMEs has been interlinked with Ministry of Labour and Employment and National Carrier Service and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship's Skill India Digital for facilitating credit, skilling, recruitment, etc. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has also notified concessions in processing fees for MSMEs for the purpose of certifications.

Also,  MSMEs are extended with  enhanced  accessibility  on  the    Government  eMarketplace (GeM) portal through: (i) API integration of GeM-Udyam Registration databases  to  facilitate  2-step  seller  auto  registration  on  the  GeM  portal  upon issuance  of  Udyam;  (ii)  marketplace  filters  and  product  catalogue  icons  to distinguish products made by women and SC/ ST MSEs in Direct Purchase/ L1 modes of procurement; (iii) exemption from payment of Caution Money by Artisans, Weavers, Self Help Groups (SHGs), women and SC/ ST owned micro and small Enterprises, divyangjan/ persons with disabilities; and NGOs working with PwD, Khadi Producers, Hunar Haat craftsmen, prison inmate products, ODOPs, FPOs, etc. to promote social inclusion; (iv) creation of eight GeM #vocal for local online Outlet Stores for listing and showcasing of products made by women MSMEs, SHG, farmer producer organizations (FPO), artisans and weavers, and ODOP craftsmen among others; and (v) handholding support to MSMEs for immersive onboarding (from seller registration to product catalogue upload/ listing) through participation in various fairs/exhibitions/trade shows/events, etc.

Startups recognized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) can also avail benefits such as exemption from Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) submission, relaxation in prior turnover and prior experience on the GeM portal. GeM has created necessary functionality on GeM portal allowing buyers to provide such relaxations while creating the bids on the portal.

The 'Make in India'  initiative  was  launched  on  25 th   September  2014  to  facilitate Investment, foster Innovation, build best in class Infrastructure, and make India a hub for manufacturing, design, and innovation. Presently, Make in India 2.0 focuses on  27  sectors  including  15  manufacturing  sectors,  implemented  across  various Ministries and Departments and State Governments.

## 3.  Promoting incubation across the country

Further, various Ministries and Departments are also promoting the development of incubation  centers across  the  country  through  initiatives  like  Startup  India  Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0), Domain Specific Centres of Excellence (CoEs), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana  (RKVY)  Agribusiness  Incubators  (R-ABIs),  NIDHI  Technology  Business Incubator (TBI), Atal Incubation Centres (AIC), Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Livelihood Business Incubators (LBIs) under ASPIRE, and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)-backed incubators amongst others.

The Ministry of MSME implements MSME Innovative Scheme, an amalgamation of Incubation, Design, and IPR schemes. The incubation component of the Scheme aims  to  promote  and  support  untapped  creativity  and  the  adoption  of  latest technologies in MSME that seek validation of their ideas at 'proof-of-concept' level.

## 4.  Improving ease of doing business

Initiatives  aimed  at  simplifying  and  streamlining  business  regulations  have  also been undertaken including the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP), the B-Ready assessment, Jan Vishwas and Reducing Compliance Burden on Businesses and Citizens and measurement of Cost of Regulation. These initiatives are designed to improve India's business climate, attract investments, and foster economic growth by  reducing  compliance  hurdles  and  making  the  regulatory  environment  more business friendly thereby benefitting MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and startups.

Under,  the  Regulatory  Compliance  Burden  (RCB)  initiative  various  Ministries, Departments, and States/UTs are supported in reducing the compliance burden on citizens and businesses. The goal is to enhance Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living through four key strategies: Simplification of procedures, Rationalization of  laws,  Digitization  of  processes,  and  Decriminalization  of  minor  offences.

Regulatory Compliance (RC) Portal has been developed for tracking action taken by Ministries/ Departments and States/UTs to reduce compliance burden.

Also,  to  enhance  ease  of  living  and  ease  of  doing  Business,  the  Central Government, through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, has decriminalized 183  provisions across 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments.  To further  improve  ease  of doing  business  and ease of living, DPIIT has undertaken an analysis of various criminal provisions (including both major and minor offences) across multiple acts under the Jan Vishwas 2.0 initiative.

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