The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley while presenting the General Budget 2014-15 in Parliament today said that the financial structure of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, mainly owned or run by SCs, STs and OBCs which is of critical importance, has to be strengthened. For this purpose, he proposed to appoint a committee with representatives from Finance Ministry, Ministry of MSME and RBI to give concrete suggestions in three months.

The Finance Minister stated that the promotion of entrepreneurship and start-up companies remains a challenge. In order to create a conducive eco system for the venture capital in the MSME, he proposed to establish a ₹ 10,000 crore fund to act as a catalyst to attract private Capital by way of providing equity, quasi equity, soft loans and other risk capital for start-up companies.

The Finance Minister also announced to establish Technology Centre Network to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and agro-industry. He proposed in the Budget to set-up a corpus fund of ₹ 200 crore. The Finance Minister has announced to develop an entrepreneur friendly legal bankruptcy framework for SMEs to enable easy exit. He said that a nationwide “District level Incubation and Accelerator Programme” would be taken up for incubation of new ideas and providing necessary support for accelerating entrepreneurship.

MSME financial strengthening to mobilise venture capital and create technology centres, plus SME bankruptcy reform and local incubation. Proposals include strengthening the financial architecture of MSMEs-especially those owned or run by SCs, STs and OBCs-via an inter ministerial committee; creation of a large risk capital fund to provide equity, quasi equity, soft loans and other risk capital to attract private venture investment into start ups; establishment of a Technology Centre Network with a dedicated corpus to promote innovation and agro industry; development of an entrepreneur friendly legal bankruptcy framework for SMEs to enable easier exit; and a nationwide district level incubation and accelerator programme.