The recent trends in exports from MSME sectors reveal that contribution of the MSME sector in overall merchandise exports has increased from 45.74% in 2023-24 to 48.55 % in 2024-25 in USD value terms. In order to promote exports including from MSME sector,the Government has approved the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) as a comprehensive framework to strengthen the overall export ecosystem. Under EPM, support shall be provided through NIRYAT PROTSAHAN, which focuses on trade finance facilitation for MSME exporters, and NIRYAT DISHA, which shall provide non-financial support including export-quality and compliance assistance, market-access interventions, logistics facilitation, and export ecosystem-building measures. Furthermore, the comprehensive GST rationalisation recently done by the government will strengthen MSMEs fortifying local supply chains in critical sectors like automobiles, textiles, food processing, logistics, and handicrafts. Lower GST rates have made raw materials and services more affordable, motivating small and medium enterprises and start-ups to scale up operations, invest in innovation, and compete both domestically and globally.

In addition, the Government, inter-alia, has undertaken the following initiatives to boost the competitiveness in global value chain: -

1. PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan enabling comprehensive and integrated planning for multimodal logistics.
2. National Logistics Policy (NLP), which aims to drive economic growth and business competitiveness of the country through cost-effective logistics network.
3. Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE) for providing 100% credit guarantee coverage by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) to Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) for extending additional credit facilities up to Rs.20,000 crore to eligible exporters, including MSMEs.

4. International Cooperation Scheme: The scheme aims to capacity build MSMEs for entering export market by facilitating their participation in international exhibitions/fairs/conferences/seminar/buyer-seller meets abroad as well as reimbursement of various costs involved in exports.

5. Micro and Small Enterprises- Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) scheme implemented with the objective to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) for their holistic development adopting cluster development approach by extending financial assistance to establish Common Facility Centers (CFCs) in the existing clusters and establish/up-grade infrastructural facilities in new/existing industrial estates/areas/flatted factory complexes.
6. MSME Competitive (Lean) scheme is to enhance the Domestic and Global Competitiveness of MSMEs through the application of various Lean Techniques and thereby achieving reduction in rejection rates, product and raw material movements and product cost.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Sushri Shobha Karandlaje) in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AKS