Distribution of number of MSMEs and employment therein with reference to social groups in India – An inter- state comparison using fourth MSME census data

Abstract

Since independence, India’s focus has consistently remained on the development of small industrial sector for its role in promoting industrial democracy and providing employment to local population. During the last six-decade period after independence, India has continuously modified and upgraded the policy relating to small sector which is now popularly known as micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. The enterprises in this sector are owned by population belonging to different social groups such as scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), other backward classes (OBC) and others in the general category spread over different states of the country. It will be interesting to know the distribution of number of micro, small and medium enterprises and employment of the social groups therein in order to get an idea of the performance of the states in this field of industrialisation