Lok Sabha Question No. 2245 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: MSMEs Development in Akola and Washim Districts of Maharashtra
Ministry: MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2245 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 12.02.2026

## MSMEs DEVELOPMENT IN AKOLA AND WASHIM DISTRICTS OF MAHARASHTRA

2245. SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE:

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

- (a) the number of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) registered in the Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra, sector-wise;
- (b) the  various  schemes  and  initiatives  implemented  by  the  Ministry  to  promote  MSMEs  in Akola and Washim, including details of funding, subsidies and other support provided;
- (c) the steps taken to address the specific challenges faced by MSMEs in Akola and Washim, such as access to credit, technology upgradation and marketing support;
- (d) the  progress  made  in  setting  up  an  MSME  cluster  or  park  in  Akola  and  Washim  and  the benefits expected to accrue to the local MSMEs from such a project; and
- (e) the  plans  to  promote  entrepreneurship  and  skill  development  among  youth  and  women  in Akola and the initiatives taken to encourage startups and innovation in the district?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): As per data available on Udyam Registration Portal, the sector wise details of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) including Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs), registered in Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra as on 31.01.2026 are as given below:
- (b) & (c): The  Central  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  States/UTs  Governments through various schemes, programmes and policy initiatives for overall development and promotion of MSMEs in the country, including Akola and Washim Districts of Maharashtra.
- To  support  MSMEs  in  access  to  credit,  technology  upgradation  and  marketing  support, Ministry of MSME implements MSME Champions scheme to unify, synergize, and converge various schemes. There are 3 components under MSME Champions scheme, which includes MSME-Sustainable  (ZED)  Certification Scheme, MSME-Competitive  (Lean)  Scheme, MSME-Innovative  (Incubation,  Design  &  IPR)  Scheme  and  Procurement  and  Marketing Support (PMS) scheme.

| Sector-wise Number of MSMEs   | Sector-wise Number of MSMEs   | Sector-wise Number of MSMEs   | Sector-wise Number of MSMEs   | Sector-wise Number of MSMEs   |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                       | District                      | Manufacturing                 | Service                       | Trading                       |
| 1                             | Akola                         | 28,293                        | 44,010                        | 56,633                        |
| 2                             | Washim                        | 14,910                        | 21,917                        | 30,228                        |

- Under  Prime  Minister  Employment  Generation  Programme  (PMEGP)  General  Category beneficiaries are assisted with Margin Money (MM) subsidy of 25% of the project cost in rural  areas  and  15%  in  urban  areas.  For  beneficiaries  belonging  to  Special  Categories,  the Margin Money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. During the last five years  (FY-2020-21  to  FY-2024-25),  219  and  268  Micro  enterprises  have  been  assisted  in Washim and Akola Districts of Maharashtra respectively.
- 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.  The  details  of  credit  guarantees extended  to  MSEs  under  CGS  in  Washim  and  Akola  Districts,  since  inception  till 31.01.2026, are as under:
- Under Procurement and Marketing Support (PMS) scheme three exhibitions were approved in Akola district.

|        | No. of guarantees approved   | Amount approved (in Rs. crore)   |
|--------|------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| Akola  | 10,397                       | 1,079                            |
| Washim | 4,710                        | 333                              |

(d): Under  the  Micro  and  Small  Enterprises-  Cluster  Development  Programme  (MSE-CDP) Scheme, 18 Common Facility Centres and 5 Infrastructure facilities in new/existing industrial estates (IID) in the State of Maharashtra have been completed. As of now no project in Akola and Washim districts has been undertaken.

(e): To  encourage  self-employment  and  strengthen  entrepreneurial  capabilities,  the  Ministry implements Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAPs) and Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programmes (ESDPs). During the last three years, eight Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes  (EAPs)  and  six  Entrepreneurship  Skill  Development  Programmes  (ESDPs)  were conducted in both districts.

*****