New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) has supported around 8.12 lakh micro-entrepreneurs with margin money subsidies totalling ₹24,398.61 crore since 2014-15, helping generate employment for an estimated 73.08 lakh people, according to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
The scheme, implemented by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), provides financial assistance through margin money subsidies on bank-sanctioned loans to help establish new micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
The programme aims to encourage self-employment, support first-generation entrepreneurs and enable job seekers to become job creators. The ministry highlighted the growth of beneficiary enterprises in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab as examples of the scheme’s impact.
Skinkaanti Ayurveda, founded by Pooja Sharma in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, began as a micro-enterprise with a project cost of ₹25 lakh and financial support from the State Bank of India.
The handmade soap manufacturer has since expanded into a business with an annual turnover of ₹30 crore, employing 300 people, 95% of whom are women. The company combines Ayurvedic principles with modern manufacturing techniques and supplies products through retail and institutional channels across India.
M/s Ess Pee Quality Products, established by Surender Pal Singh Nagi in Mohali, Punjab, started with a project cost of ₹21 lakh, financed by the Bank of Baroda.
The food processing unit has grown into a business with a reported annual turnover of ₹38 crore and employs around 130 people. It manufactures honey, cookies and fruit jams and exports its products to 26 countries, including the US, Australia and France. The enterprise has also secured AA+ BRCGS certification, reflecting compliance with international food safety and quality standards.
The ministry said such enterprises illustrate how credit-linked subsidy support can help small businesses expand operations, create jobs and access wider markets. PMEGP continues to focus on promoting entrepreneurship and strengthening livelihood opportunities across the country
