New Delhi, 01 April 2022: The Government has taken several initiatives to support and protect the interest of women and other entrepreneurs through stimulus given under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Packages to combat the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The packages comprise of schemes for various sectors of the economy and also schemes having impact across sectors. The specific initiatives taken to protect women entrepreneurs and MSMEs are as under:

1. Rs. 3 lakh crore Emergency Working Capital Facility for Businesses, including MSMEs
2. Rs. 20,000 crore Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs
3. Rs. 50,000 crore equity infusion through MSME Fund of Funds
4. New Definition of MSME and other Measures for MSME
5. Rs. 10,000 crore scheme for formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE)
6. Relief of Rs. 1500 crore to MUDRA loanees
7. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for MSMEs, businesses, MUDRA borrowers and individuals
8. Rs. 5000 crore Credit facility for Street Vendors.
9. Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, a total of 20.40 crores (approx) women account holders (Pradhan Mantri jan Dhan Yojana) were given an ex-gratia of Rs. 500 per month for three months.
10. For Self-Help groups (SHGs), limit of collateral free lending was increased from Rs.10 lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs for women organized through 63 lakhs SHGs, who supported 6.85 crore households.

Under the ECLGS Scheme as on 28.02.2022, 81.18 lakhs women beneficiaries have been provided guarantees for loan. The State-wise details are at Annexure.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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Annexure

State-wise details of women beneficiaries provided guarantees for loan under ECLGS