SIDBI’s 37th Foundation Day Celebrations

National: Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, The Hon’ble Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, speaking at the 37th Foundation Day Celebrations event of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) today in Mumbai said that the MSME sector remains central to India’s growth trajectory, employment generation, and export competitiveness. Hon’ble Finance Minister also highlighted various measures taken by the Govt of India for the sectors affected by West Asia War situation, including ECLGS 5.0 which will also support MSMEs in these difficult times. Hon’ble Finance Minister also outlined the vision for SIDBI and its role as market-maker, especially with regard to the capital infusion of Rs.5000 crore by the Govt of India. On this occasion, Hon’ble Finance Minister also launched a set of strategic portals / initiatives designed to strengthen the MSME ecosystem, enhance last-mile credit delivery, and accelerate modernisation of rural industries.

Various new initiatives / portals launched during the event are SIDBI RRB Co-Lending Portal, a platform to operationalise partnerships between SIDBI and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), improving credit flow in rural and underserved geographies, SIDBI MachFin Mart (www.machineryportal.sidbi.in), a digital platform enabling MSMEs to access machines through a structured marketplace, supporting price discovery, standardisation, technology adoption and embedded loan sanction and MoRE (Modernisation of Rural Enterprises), a focused initiative to provide transformational support to 10,000 rural micro and artisanal units over next 3 years, through cluster-based interventions in such rural / artisanal clusters. Credit Cards for Micro Enterprises programme of DFS, Govt of India was also launched at the event. These credit cards with a limit of `5 lakh for Udyam registered micro enterprises have been designed with an objective to enable credit access on easier terms and through a faster process for financing their working capital requirements.

On the occasion, Shri Sanjay Lohiya, Special Secretary, Department of Financial Services acknowledged the contribution of SIDBI’s leadership and staff in building an institution that commands credibility across the financial sector and that DFS looks forward to SIDBI continuing to play a proactive and constructive role in strengthening MSME finance and supporting India’s broader development objectives. In this evolving context, SIDBI’s future role is not only that of a financier, but of an institution that sets benchmarks, builds confidence and strengthens the architecture of MSME finance.

Shri Manoj Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director, SIDBI said on the occasion that these initiatives mark a significant step in SIDBI’s ongoing efforts to transform MSME financing through digital enablement and partnerships. The focus is on improving credit access, credit delivery efficiency and promoting technology adoption through digital platforms and collaborative partnerships. Our approach is also anchored on supporting modernisation of rural enterprises, thereby making them more competitive, productive and future-ready, apart from enabling inclusive and broad-based economic development.