Himachal Pradesh has made significant strides in strengthening its Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ecosystem under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Programme, with the Government of India commending the state’s achievements across multiple sectors.
A comprehensive review of the RAMP Programme was held at the Directorate of Industries under the chairmanship of Dr. Rajneesh, Additional Secretary & Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MoMSME), Government of India. The meeting was attended by the Commissioner of Industries, Himachal Pradesh, along with senior departmental officers including Shri Anil Thakur, Joint Director of Industries, Shri Ramesh Verma, Joint Director of Industries, and other officials.
During the review, the Commissioner of Industries presented the progress achieved under the various interventions approved by the Ministry of MSME. The state reported notable success in enhancing digital adoption, sustainability, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and administrative efficiency.
Under the MSME SMART Initiative, Digital Readiness Assessments of 1,080 MSMEs have been completed, enabling enterprises to evaluate and strengthen their digital capabilities. In the area of sustainability, 890 Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) studies were conducted under the MSME Greening Initiative, encouraging environmentally responsible and resource-efficient business practices.
To promote entrepreneurship and innovation, the state has established 48 pre-incubation centres across Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnic institutions. These centres have engaged nearly 19,000 youth, creating opportunities for innovation, skill development, and enterprise creation among aspiring entrepreneurs.
Strengthening access to finance remains a key priority under the programme. The Directorate of Industries has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Invoice Mart and RXIL to facilitate the onboarding of MSMEs, State Public Sector Undertakings (SPSUs), Boards, and Corporations onto the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platform. This initiative is expected to significantly reduce payment delays and improve cash flow for MSMEs.
The review also highlighted the state’s strong emphasis on social inclusion. A total of 1,325 rural women entrepreneurs have received skill development training through HPSHHCL and HPKVN. Additionally, 60 women-led enterprises were identified for targeted support, including a specialized entrepreneurship workshop involving 20 participants. Furthermore, 16 funding and networking meets have benefitted 257 women entrepreneurs, strengthening their access to business opportunities and financial resources.
Administrative reforms under the programme have also yielded substantial results, with 7,492 legacy files digitized across District Industries Centres (DICs), Single Window Clearance Authorities (SWCAs), and the Directorate of Industries, enhancing transparency and operational efficiency.
The meeting also included a detailed review of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme. Dr. Rajneesh assessed progress under various components of the scheme and issued directions to ensure its effective implementation. He emphasized the need for financial institutions to expand credit access for eligible artisans and informed that the distribution of toolkits to beneficiaries across the country is being accelerated. He assured that all remaining eligible artisans would receive their toolkits in the coming months. The review stressed the importance of strengthening outreach efforts to ensure wider participation of traditional artisans under the scheme.
Appreciating the state’s efforts, Dr. Rajneesh commended Himachal Pradesh for the effective implementation of the RAMP Programme and its achievements in promoting MSME competitiveness, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and inclusion.
Looking ahead, the Directorate of Industries announced plans to organize international exposure visits for stakeholders and officials to study global best practices in MSME development and further strengthen the state’s industrial and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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