Overview
- At a pre-Budget meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, MSME representatives called for easier and cheaper financing and an enhanced technology upgradation fund to lift productivity.
- Industry bodies sought relaxation of Special Mention Account rules and a wider financier base, citing a SIDBI-estimated credit gap of about ₹30 lakh crore that constrains working capital.
- Participants requested a loan moratorium for units hurt by US tariffs and flagged stress in labour‑intensive segments including textiles, gems and jewellery, and fisheries.
- Suggestions included creating export hubs and more clusters and providing policy support to help smaller firms meet environmental standards without losing competitiveness.
- The Union Cabinet approved an Export Promotion Mission with a ₹25,060 crore outlay over six years and allowed up to ₹20,000 crore in additional credit for exporters, separate from the consultations.