Title: Telangana Government Unveils New MSME Policy to Boost Women Entrepreneurs
Hyderabad: In a significant move to promote women entrepreneurship, the Telangana government is set to establish an MSME industrial park exclusively for women-led enterprises, strategically located between the outer-ring road (ORR) and regional ring road (RRR). This initiative is part of a broader plan to develop 10 industrial parks in the area, with 5 designated as MSME parks.
Of these, each park will reserve 5% of plots for women entrepreneurs and 15% for SC/ST entrepreneurs. Notably, one of the five MSME parks will be dedicated solely to women-owned businesses, while another will cater specifically to innovative startups.
During the launch of the new MSME policy by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, it was revealed that the government plans to create women-owned flatted factories in each of the 119 assembly constituencies across the state. The initiative aims to empower members of women’s self-help groups to establish small businesses within these facilities.
To further support MSMEs, the government is enhancing the T-IDEA scheme, which currently offers a 15% capital investment subsidy up to Rs 20 lakh. This subsidy will increase to 25%, with an upper limit of Rs 30 lakh. Women-owned MSMEs will see their additional subsidy raised from 10% to 20%, with a new cap of Rs 20 lakh.
In a bid to improve access to financing for MSMEs, a pilot program for revenue-based financing will also be introduced, allowing businesses to secure credit based on projected sales. This approach aims to alleviate the financial burden on women-led ventures.
Additionally, the Telangana government plans to review and rationalize restrictions on the employment of women in various sectors, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and IT-enabled services, to facilitate greater female participation in the industrial workforce.
Key features of the new MSME policy include:
- Establishment of an MSME wing with a high-level steering committee for 24/7 support.
- Allocation of Rs 600 crore over five years to support MSME initiatives.
- Creation of 10 new Common Facility Centers (CFCs) in districts with high MSME activity.
- Development of warehouses within the MSME parks through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
- Promotion of worker housing to enhance worker retention.
These initiatives mark a significant step toward fostering an inclusive business environment, particularly for women entrepreneurs in Telangana.
