Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

The now-defunct Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries had the objectives of facilitating coordinated and focused policy formulation and effective implementation of programmes, projects, schemes, etc., for improving supply chain management, enhancing skills, upgrading technology, expanding markets and capacity building of entrepreneurs/artisans and their groups/collectives.

The Ministry deals with the khadi, village and coir industries through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and the Coir Board. It coordinates implementation of two countrywide employment generation programmes, namely, the Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) and the Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) with the cooperation of State Governments, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other banks. The KVIC, established by an Act of Parliament, is a statutory organisation engaged in promotion and development of khadi and village industries for providing employment opportunities in the rural areas, thereby strengthening the rural economy. The coir industry is a labour-intensive and export-oriented industry. It uses a by-product of coconut, namely, coir husk. The Coir Board, a statutory body established under the Coir Industry Act 1953, looks after the promotion, growth and development of the coir industry, including export promotion and expansion of the domestic market.[2]

It was headed by the Minister of Agro & Rural Industries and was based at Udyog Bhavan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi. Shri Mahabir Prasad was the last incumbent.

• MSME-Technology Centre Baddi Solan
• Central Tool Room, Ludhiana[3]
• Central Tool Room Extension Centre, Nilokheri earlier functional as Integrated Training Centre, Nilokheri
• Indo Danish Tool Room, Jamshedpur

It provides technical training to artisans and workers sponsored by the state government. It also organises training of Extension Officers engaged in various developmental organisation. It provides summer training programs for Degree/Diploma Engineers.

Due to some conflict between the Principal and Vice-Principal of Integrated Training Centre was relinquished. Later in the year 2014 the center was taken over by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises which led to its development as Extension center for Central Tool Room, Ludhiana i.e. Central Tool Room Extension Center, Nilokheri. Currently running various technical short term courses.

It was launched as a central sector scheme in 2008–09 to promote self employment in the country through setting up micro enterprises. It is a credit linked subsidy scheme in which loans up to 25 lakh for manufacturing sector and up to 1000 Lakh for service sector is forwarded to the eligible beneficiaries for which subsidy of up to 35% is provided to them.[7]

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is the implementing agency at the National level. The individuals who are above the age of 18 years and are at least 8th pass, self help groups, Societies registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860, Charitable trusts are all eligible to be beneficiary. Also, only new projects are considered for sanction under the scheme.[7]