Lok Sabha Question No. 1873 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Research and Development in MSME Sector
Ministry: MICRO,SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Sandhya Ray, Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1873 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2023

## RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN MSME SECTOR

1873. SHRIMATI SANDHYA RAY: SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

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

- (a) the initiatives taken by the Government to promote Research and Development (R&D) activities in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector;
- (b) the  R&D  activities  undertaken  by  the  statutory  bodies  and  other  attached  offices  under  the Government during the last two years and the current year, year-wise;
- (c) the  benefits  accrued  to  small  entrepreneurs  as  a  result  of  promoting  R&D  activities  in  MSME Sector, particularly in Madhya Pradesh, especially in Bhind district; and
- (d) the funds incurred for promoting R&D activities in such enterprises?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA)

(a): The  Government  of  India  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  promote  Research  and  Development (R&D)  activities  in  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises  (MSME)  Sector.  These  inter  alia  include MSME  Innovative  Scheme  of  Ministry  of  MSME,  Atal  Innovation  Mission  (AIM)  of  NITI  Aayog, NIDHI-inclusive Technology  Business  Incubator (NIDHI-iTBI) Programme of  Department of Science and Technology (DST), Regulatory Sandbox of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Apart from these, several testing and research laboratories have been established by Ministry of MSME, Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Textiles etc.

(b) to (d): Ministry of MSME  is implementing MSME  Innovative (Incubation) Scheme, a component  under  MSME  Champions  scheme  for  nurturing  and  development  of  ideas.  Under  the Incubation component of MSME Innovative Scheme of this Ministry, 533 ideas have been approved for nurturing and development with an amount of Government of India grant sanctioned of Rs. 43.30 crore during the last three years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24. Under Ministry of MSME, there are 10 Tool Rooms (TR),  8  Technology  Development  Centres  (TDC)  are  functioning  to  provide  consultancy  and R&D to MSMEs. Further, Department of Science and Technology (DST) supports entrepreneur through its programs all over India, where infrastructure and creation of lab facilities are supported for helping the entrepreneurs to convert their ideas into marketable product.

In the State of Madhya Pradesh, DST has supported 4 incubators in Madhya Pradesh (MP), out of which  2  incubators  in  Bhopal  have  been  supported  through  Technology  Business  Incubator  (TBI) program and 2 incubators in Indore have been supported through NIDHI-iTBI Programme. Under Atal Incubation Centres (AIC), 69 incubators have been operationalized across eight States and three Union Territories including Madhya Pradesh (Raisen and Indore).  Under MSME Innovative Scheme 6 Ideas and 34 Host Institutes (HIs) are approved in the State of MP.

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