Lok Sabha Question No. 2243 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Challenges in Credit Access for Women-led MSMEs in Assam
Ministry: MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Shri Gaurav Gogoi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2243 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 12.02.2026

## CHALLENGES IN CREDIT ACCESS FOR WOMEN-LED MSMEs IN ASSAM

## 2243. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  women-led  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises (MSMEs) in Assam continue to face difficulties in assessing institutional credit despite schemes such as Stand-Up India and Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number and percentage of loans disbursed to women entrepreneurs in Assam under major MSME credit schemes, including Stand-Up India, CGTMSE and Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), during the last three years, year-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has examined the reasons for the low share of women-led enterprises in overall MSME credit disbursal in Assam, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  steps  taken  to  improve  access  to  formal  credit  for  women  entrepreneurs  in  Assam, particularly in rural areas and Tier-II & tier III towns; and
- (e) whether any gender-responsive lending or monitoring mechanisms are proposed for Assam to enhance credit flow to women-led MSMEs and if so, the details thereof.

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (e): To  strengthen  access  to  credit  including  for  women-led  Micro,  Small  and  Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country, including those in Assam, Government of India has taken a number of steps, which inter alia include:
- i. Ministry of MSME 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. To support women entrepreneurs under the scheme, 10% concession is given  in  annual  Guarantee  fees;  90%  Guaranteecoverage  is  given  to  women-owned  MSEs,  as against the 75% for other entrepreneurs.
- ii. Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme  provides  Margin  Money  subsidy  up  to 35% for women-led micro enterprises, for setting up of new micro enterprises, in the non-farm sector with project cost of Rs. 50 lakh for Manufacturing and Rs. 20 lakh for Service enterprises.

- iii. PM Vishwakarma Scheme was launched on 17.09.2023 to provide end-to-end holistic support to artisans  and  craftspeople  of  18  traditional  trades  who  work  with  their  hands  and  tools.  The Scheme includes provision of loans up to Rs. 3 lakh with interest subvention of max up to 8%.
- iv. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) was launched in May, 2020 for business enterprises  in  meeting  their  operational  liabilities  in  view  of  disruption  caused  by  COVID-19 pandemic. The Scheme was operational till 31.03.2023. As reported by Department of Financial Services  (DFS),  under  ECLGS,  since  inception  till  31.03.2023,  total  1.13  crore  guarantees amounting to Rs. 2.42 lakh crore have been extended to MSMEs, including women-led MSMEs.
- v. As informed by Department of Financial Services (DSF), Standup India was launched in April, 2016  with  an  objective  to  provide  loan  value  of  Rs.10  lakh  to  Rs.1  Crore  to  at  least  one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) and one women borrower per Bank branch for setting up a greenfield enterprise in the field of manufacturing, services and trading sector and also for activities allied to agriculture. The scheme facilitated 2.75 lakh loans of which 83% were availed by women entrepreneurs. The scheme was operational till 31.03.2025.

The details of the benefits under the major schemes are at Annexure-I .

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Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2243 on'Challenges  in  Credit  Access  for  Women-led  MSMEs  in  Assam'  due  for  answer  on 12.02.2026.

| CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   | CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   | CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   | CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   | CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   | CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   | CGTMSE - Guarantee Approved in the state of Assam   |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
|                                                     | %of Women Entrepreneurs in Assam                    | %of Women Entrepreneurs in Assam                    | Women Entrepreneurs in Assam                        | Women Entrepreneurs in Assam                        | Women Entrepreneurs (All India)                     | Women Entrepreneurs (All India)                     |
| F.Y.                                                | %of No. of Guarantees approved                      | %of Amt. of Guarantees approved                     | No. of Guarantee s approved                         | Amt. of Guarantees approved in Rs. in Crore         | No. of Guarantees approved                          | Amt. of Guarantees approved in Rs. in Crore         |
| 2022-23                                             | 1.1%                                                | 1.9%                                                | 3,936                                               | 315                                                 | 365,582                                             | 16,373                                              |
| 2023-24                                             | 1.5%                                                | 1.7%                                                | 6,313                                               | 544                                                 | 425,865                                             | 32,223                                              |
| 2024-25                                             | 3.0%                                                | 1.9%                                                | 18,667                                              | 919                                                 | 626,546                                             | 47,969                                              |

| Women led Micro Enterprises assisted under PMEGP in the state of Assam   | Women led Micro Enterprises assisted under PMEGP in the state of Assam   | Women led Micro Enterprises assisted under PMEGP in the state of Assam   | Women led Micro Enterprises assisted under PMEGP in the state of Assam   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Financial Year                                                           | No. of micro enterprisesassisted                                         | MMSubsidy disbursed (Rs. Cr)                                             | Estimated Employment Generated                                           |
| 2022-23                                                                  | 907                                                                      | 19.51                                                                    | 7,256                                                                    |
| 2023-24                                                                  | 761                                                                      | 19.26                                                                    | 6,088                                                                    |
| 2024-25                                                                  | 1,081                                                                    | 32.18                                                                    | 8,648                                                                    |

| PMVishwakarma- Loan Sanctioned (Assam State)   | PMVishwakarma- Loan Sanctioned (Assam State)   | PMVishwakarma- Loan Sanctioned (Assam State)   | PMVishwakarma- Loan Sanctioned (Assam State)   | PMVishwakarma- Loan Sanctioned (Assam State)   |
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| Financia lYear                                 | Total no. of loans sanctioned                  | AmountSanctio ned (in Rs)                      | Total no. of loans sanctioned- Women           | AmountSanctioned (in Rs)- Women                |
| 2024-25                                        | 12,024                                         | 1,124,894,999                                  | 3,509                                          | 327,940,200                                    |
| Percentage                                     | Percentage                                     | Percentage                                     | 29.18%                                         | 29.15%                                         |

| Standup India (Assam)   | Standup India (Assam)       | Standup India (Assam)        | Standup India (Assam)   |
|-------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------|-------------------------|
| Financial Year          | Total (No. of A/c Disbursed | Women (No. of A/c Disbursed) | Percentage (Women)      |
| 2022-23                 | 201                         | 160                          | 80%                     |
| 2323-24                 | 214                         | 118                          | 55%                     |
| 2024-25                 | 487                         | 344                          | 71%                     |