Bank credit to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) has been increasing at a faster rate than that to large enterprises across industries, according to the Economic Survey, tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The credit to MSMEs registered a growth of 13% year-on-year (YOY) at the end of November 2024 compared to 6.1% for large enterprises during the same period, noted the Survey.
“Credit growth to the services and personal loans segments also moderated to 5.9 per cent and 8.8 per cent YOY, respectively, at the end of November 2024 in the current financial year. Amongst the services sector, the moderation has been driven by a slowdown in credit disbursal to NBFCs. Vehicle and housing loans drove the moderation in the personal loans segment. In terms of increasing risk weights to non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and credit cards, RBI’s policy interventions contributed to the moderation of credit growth in those segments,” it said.
Furthermore, the Survey talked about how the latest initiative by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)—Unified Lending Interface (ULI)—can potentially be a game changer in MSME financing. For context, ULI was launched by the RBI to streamline the lending process. Since its pilot launch in August 2023, ULI has facilitated the disbursement of Rs 38,000 crore.
Commenting on the increase in credit to MSMEs, Sundeep Mohindru, Promoter and Director, M1xchange, said that the Economic Survey 2024-25 rightly highlights the critical role of MSMEs in driving India’s economic growth. “Timely and seamless access to working capital remains a top priority for these businesses, and digital platforms like TReDS are instrumental in bridging this gap. The government’s focus on financial inclusion, digitization, and supply chain resilience will further empower MSMEs, enabling them to contribute more effectively to India’s GDP,” added Mohindru.