Lok Sabha Question No. 580 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-03
Subject: Districts as Export Hubs
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Brijmohan Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 580 ANSWERED ON 03/02/2026

## DISTRICTS AS EXPORTS HUBS

## 580.   SHRI BRIJMOHAN AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ¼okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h½ be pleased to state:

- (a) the  criteria  for  fund  distribution  across  States,  and  what  specific  export  targets are set for inland and non-traditional districts under the "Districts as Export Hubs" initiative;
- (b) the manner in which merging schemes like the Interest Equalisation Scheme and Market  Access  Initiative  reduce  administrative  turnaround  time  for  MSME disbursals;
- (c) the percentage specifically earmarked for first-time exporters;
- (d) the volume of financial relief dedicated to the Textiles and Handicraft sectors to safeguard domestic employment, given global tariff pressures;
- (e) the  specific  financial  allocation  that  has  been  made  for  the  development  of 'Niryat Disha' interventions in the Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated and LWE-affected districts to transition their traditional forest produce and handicrafts into high-value global exports; and
- (f) the  specific  KPIs  the  DGFT's  digital  platform  will  track  to  ensure  this  remains a  strictly "outcome-based" mechanism?

## ANSWER

## okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT;ea=h ¼Jh ftfru izlkn½ THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a)  to  (f)  Districts  as  Export  Hubs  (DEH)  is  a  capacity  building  initiative  of  the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce, which is aimed at targeting  export  promotion,  manufacturing,  and  employment  generation  at  the grassroots level.

It builds on the policy impetus of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Mission, vision of Make in India for the world and Vocal for Local by involving States and Districts as meaningful stakeholders and active participants in order to synergise export promotion efforts in India .

Districts as Export Hubs initiative is an enabling framework. The initiative functions through  the  convergence  and  coordination  of  existing  schemes,  programmes,  and institutional efforts of the Central and  State Governments,  as  well  as  other stakeholders, to promote export potential at the district level.

The  initiative  does  not  provide  for  earmarking  funds  or  for  specifying  sector-  or category-wise percentages, including for MSMEs.

Government has approved the Scheme for Export Promotion Mission (EPM) for the period FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31, aimed at strengthening India's export competitiveness, particularly for MSMEs.

EPM shall operate through two integrated sub-schemes:

- a. Niryat  Protsahan,  focused  on  improving  access  to  trade  finance  through instruments such as interest subvention, export factoring, collateral guarantee for export credit, credit for e-commerce exporters, support for emerging export opportunities and
- b. Niryat  Disha,  focused  on  other  trade  enablers  such  as  export  quality  and compliance  support,  international  branding  and  packaging,  market  access initiatives, export logistics & warehousing, and trade intelligence.

EPM  consolidates  the  earlier  Interest  Equalisation  Scheme  and  Market  Access Initiative within a single governance  and  digital framework,  thereby reducing duplication  of  processes,  streamlining  approvals,  improving  coordination  among implementing  agencies,  and  reducing  administrative  turnaround  time  for  MSMErelated disbursals.

Exporters  and  institutions  from  Chhattisgarh  are  eligible  to  avail  support  under relevant  components  of  NIRYAT  DISHA,  including  market  access,  quality  and compliance,  branding  and  trade  facilitation,  subject  to  approved  guidelines  and proposals.

Different initiatives  under  Export  Promotion  Mission  will  be  implemented  and monitored through Digital Platforms including a framework to measure outcomes.

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