Lok Sabha Question No. 1035 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-05
Subject: Employment through MSMEs
Ministry: MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Shri Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1035 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2026

## EMPLOYMENT THROUGH MSME

## 1035.  SHRI BHAUSAHEB RAJARAM WAKCHAURE:

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

- (a) whether  there  is  a  huge  shortage  of  employment  in  Shirdi  and  the  reasons  for  the localpilgrimage-based industries excluded from the benefit of the Micro, Small and MediumEnterprises (MSMEs) schemes;
- (b) the  reasons  for  the  benefits  of  MSME  schemes  not  reaching  the  actual  entrepreneurs;
- (c) the  reasons  for  non  availability  of  skill  development  and  financial  support  facilities  for youth; and
- (d) the time by which the Government proposes to priorities employment generation?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): The  Central  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State/UT  Governments through various schemes, programmes and policy initiatives for overall development and promotion of MSMEs in the country including Maharashtra. A total of 3,56,208 MSMEs, including informal Micro Enterprises, are  registered  on  Udyam  Portal  with  an  employment  of  11,10,044  persons  in Ahmednagar district (renamed as Ahilyanagar district) of Maharashtra till 31.1.2026 which includes pilgrimage based industries.

Ministry  of  MSME,  through  Khadi  and  Village  Industries  Commission  (KVIC),  is implementing the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). It is a central sector scheme generating employment opportunities primarily in rural areas by assisting prospective  entrepreneurs  in  setting  up  new  micro  enterprises  in  the  non-farm  sector  across  the country including state of Maharashtra.

Under the Scheme, General Category beneficiaries can avail Margin Money (MM) subsidy of  25% of the project cost in rural  areas  and  15%  in  urban  areas.  For  beneficiaries  belonging  to special  categories  such  as  Scheduled  Castes,  Scheduled  Tribes,  OBCs,  Minorities,  Women,  Exservicemen, Physically Handicapped, Transgenders, beneficiaries belonging to Northeastern Region (NER), Hill and Border areas, and Aspirational Districts, the Margin Money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas.

Number  of  micro  enterprises  assisted,  Margin  Money  subsidy  disbursed,  estimated  employment generated under PMEGP in Ahmednagar district during FY 2022-23 to FY 2024-25 :

| Financial Year   |   No. of Micro- enterprises Assisted |   Margin Money Subsidy (Rs. Cr) | Estimated Employment Generated   |
|------------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 2022-23          |                                  163 |                            7.27 | 1,304                            |
| 2023-24          |                                   87 |                            5.12 | 696                              |
| 2024-25          |                                   69 |                            4.76 | 552                              |

The  Ministry  also  implements  Credit  Guarantee  Scheme  (CGS)  for  Micro  and  Small Enterprises  (MSEs)  through  Credit  Guarantee  Fund  Trust  for  Micro  and  Small  Enterprises (CGTMSE)  to  provide  credit  guarantee  for  loans  extended  to  MSEs.  The  ceiling  for  guarantee coverage  under  the  scheme  is  Rs  10  crore.  Since  inception  in  2000  till  31.12.2025,  number  of guarantees approved, for MSEs in Ahmednagar District is 73,775 for an approved amount of Rs. 6,704 crore and estimated employment generated is about 1.37 lakh.

****