Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the non-farm sectors employ nearly 11.1 crore people, according to the 73rd Round of National Sample Survey (NSS), conducted by National Sample Survey Office during the period 2015-16.

The estimated number of workers in unincorporated non-agriculture MSMEs in the country engaged in different economic activities excluding the MSMEs registered under (a) Sections 2m(i) and 2m(ii) of the Factories Act, 1948, (b) Companies Act, 1956 and (c) Construction activities falling under Section F of National Industrial Classification (NIC), 2008, are 11.10 crore, said an official release.

Under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP,) the estimated employment generated (number of persons) in micro enterprises during the years 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 are 3.58 lakhs, 3.23 lakhs, 4.08 lakhs, 3.87 lakhs and 5.87 lakhs, respectively.

The large number of employment opportunities are created with use of relatively less capital in the MSME sector. Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises implements Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), which is a credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities.

The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) helped in better credit flow to the micro and small enterprises, said the release quoting Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for MSMEs as saying in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.