Lok Sabha Question No. 3 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-01-29
Subject: Women Led - MSMEs
Ministry: MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION. No. 3 TO BE ANSWERED ON  29.01.2026

## WOMEN-LED MSMEs

## 3. MS. S. JOTHIMANI

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

- (a) the total number of women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) registered in the country during the last five years, including Tamil Nadu and particularly in Karur district;
- (b) the specific schemes and financial assistance programs available to support women entrepreneurs, particularly in the textile sector in Karur;
- (c) the impact of these initiatives on women entrepreneurship, including employment generation and business growth in Tamil Nadu;
- (d) the  steps  taken  to  enhance  market  access,  skill  development  and  ease  of  doing  business  for women entrepreneurs; and
- (e) the funds allocated and utilized for promoting women entrepreneurship in Tamil Nadu, including targeted support for Karur's women-led businesses, during the last three years?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): Udyam Registration Portal was launched on 01.07.2020. As on 25.01.2026, a total of 2.94 crore women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) registered in the country. The details of women-led  MSMEs  registered  on  Udyam  Registration  Portal  and  Udyam  Assist  Platform  in  the country including Tamil Nadu and particularly in Karur districts during last five years are given below:
- (b) to (e): The  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  initiatives  to  increase  the  participation  of women in MSMEs in the country, such as:
- i. Special  drives  for  registration  of  women-owned  MSMEs  on  Udyam  Registration  (UR)  and Udyam Assist Portals (UAP).

| FY                                          | All India   | Tamil Nadu   | Karur   |
|---------------------------------------------|-------------|--------------|---------|
| 903,502                                     | 126,397     | 1,474        | 2021-22 |
| 1,919,235                                   | 200,233     | 2,419        | 2022-23 |
| 12,795,453                                  | 916,445     | 7,077        | 2023-24 |
| 8,742,913                                   | 904,572     | 11,577       | 2024-25 |
| 2025-26 (01/04/2025 - 25/01/2026) 5,087,788 | 449,320     |              | 8,422   |
| Total:-                                     | 29,448,891  | 2,596,967    | 30,969  |

- ii. To  support  women  entrepreneurs,  the  Public  Procurement  Policy  mandates  that  3%  of  annual procurement  by  CPSEs/Ministries/Departments  must  be  made  from  women-owned  micro  and small enterprises.
- iii. To  support women  entrepreneurs under Credit Guarantee Scheme  for  Micro and Small Enterprises,  the  following  two  provisions  have  been  introduced  for  micro  and  small  women entrepreneurs w.e.f. 01.12.2022:
- a. Guarantee coverage of up to 90% as against the 75% for others; and
- b. 10% concession in annual Guarantee fees

The details of the guarantees approved to Women led MSEs under CGS are as below:

| CGS - Guarantee Approved for women -led MSEs in Tamil Nadu   | CGS - Guarantee Approved for women -led MSEs in Tamil Nadu   | CGS - Guarantee Approved for women -led MSEs in Tamil Nadu   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| Duration                                                     | No. of Guarantee Approved                                    | Amount Approved (in Rs. Crore)                               |
| Cumulative since Inception in 2000 as on December 31, 2025   | 274,729                                                      | 17,125                                                       |

Further, in order to facilitate unsecured affordable credit flow to IMEs (which are exempted from GST  regime)  for  their  composite  requirement,  special  provision  under  CGS  has  been  launched. Credit facility up to 20 lakh is guaranteed with extent of coverage of 85%.

- iv. Ministry of MSME implements Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) which is a credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and rural/urban unemployed youth. Out of the total PMEGP beneficiaries, 39% are women and they are provided higher subsidy (35%) vis-a-vis non-special category (upto 25%).

No. of Women Entrepreneurs assisted under PMEGP in State of Tamil Nadu during FY 2020-22 to 2024-25.

| Financial Year   | No. of micro enterprises assisted   |   Margin Money subsidy (Rs. Cr) | Estimated Employment Generated   |
|------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 2020-21          | 2,663                               |                           57.77 | 21,304                           |
| 2021-22          | 2,857                               |                           66.19 | 22,856                           |
| 2022-23          | 2,856                               |                           75.49 | 22,848                           |
| 2023-24          | 3,285                               |                           81.66 | 26,280                           |
| 2024-25          | 1,786                               |                           49.67 | 14,288                           |

No. of Women Entrepreneurs assisted under PMEGP in Karur district of Tamil Nadu during FY 2020-21 to 2024-25.

| Financial Year   |   No. of micro enterprises assisted |   Margin Money subsidy (Rs. Cr) |   Estimated Employment Generated |
|------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 2020-21          |                                  25 |                            1.27 |                              200 |
| 2021-22          |                                  47 |                            2.15 |                              376 |
| 2022-23          |                                  70 |                            1.97 |                              560 |
| 2023-24          |                                 103 |                            1.79 |                              824 |
| 2024-25          |                                 104 |                            1.77 |                              832 |

- v. To encourage entrepreneurship among women, Ministry of MSME implements 'Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana' under Coir Vikas Yojana, which is an exclusive training programme aimed at skill development of women artisans engaged in the Coir sector.
- vi. Participation  of  women  entrepreneurs  in  trade  fairs  under  Procurement  and  Marketing  Support Scheme is subsidized to the extent of 100% vis-a-vis 80% for other entrepreneurs.
- vii. Ministry of MSME has launched 'PM Vishwakarma' Scheme on 17.09.2023, to provide a number of benefits to the traditional artisans and craftspeople including women, engaged in 18 trades.
- viii. The  Ministry  has  launched  the  awareness  campaign  'Yashasvini'  to  create  awareness  among existing  and  aspiring  women  entrepreneurs  with  various  schemes  of  the  Ministry  of  MSME, providing  them  with  continuum  of  support  through  handholding,  mentorship,  and  capacity building.

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