Government Initiatives to Enhance Credit Access and Finance for MSMEs

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a crucial role in India’s economy, contributing significantly to employment and GDP. To ensure their growth and financial stability, the Government of India, along with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has implemented several measures to enhance credit access and ease financing for MSMEs. These initiatives focus on improving lending procedures, reducing collateral requirements, and leveraging technology to facilitate seamless credit disbursement.

Key Measures to Increase Credit Access for MSMEs

Timely Credit Decisions for MSMEs

• For loans up to ₹25 lakh, banks must provide credit decisions within 14 working days.
• Banks must provide an indicative checklist of required documents to MSME borrowers at the time of application.

Priority Sector Lending (PSL) Targets

• Specific lending targets for MSMEs were prescribed in Priority Sector Lending (PSL) guidelines (dated 4.9.2020).

Collateral-Free Loans for Small Enterprises

• No collateral security is required for loans up to ₹10 lakh for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs).

Working Capital Computation for MSMEs

• Banks must calculate working capital requirements for MSE units as at least 20% of the projected annual turnover for borrowal limits up to ₹5 crore.

Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS)

• Helps MSMEs get early payments and addresses the issue of delayed payments from buyers.

External Benchmark for MSME Loan Interest Rates

• Banks must link MSME loan interest rates to an external benchmark for transparency and fair pricing.

RBI’s Account Aggregator (AA) Framework

• Facilitates data-driven lending by enabling lenders to access financial data of MSMEs digitally.

Regulatory Sandbox (RS) for MSME Lending

• Supports technological innovation in lending through the use of AI and data analytics.

Unified Lending Interface (ULI)

• RBI’s ULI initiative improves access to credit for underserved populations.

GST Sahay App

• Developed by SIDBI, this app provides ‘on-tap’ invoice-based credit to micro enterprises without paperwork.

Udyam Assist Platform (UAP)

• Helps register Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs) that are not under GST to provide them access to credit and benefits.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

Includes various initiatives like,

• Publicity campaigns
• Simplification of application forms
• Credit Guarantee Scheme
• Monitoring of loan disbursements

Digital Loan Platforms for MSMEs

• JanSamarth Portal: Digital evaluation-based loan approvals.
  PSB Loans in 59 Minutes: Quick MSME loan approvals from multiple lenders.

SAMADHAAN Portal

• Monitors pending payments to MSMEs from buyers of goods and services.

Credit Guarantee Schemes

• Government has introduced various credit guarantee schemes to support MSMEs financially.

New Credit Assessment Model

• Developed by Public Sector Banks (PSBs), it uses digital footprints to assess MSMEs’ financial status and determine credit limits.