Introduction

Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Programme

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is a significant contributor to the economic and social development of the country as it contributes 29% to GDP (2021-22), 36% to Manufacturing Output (2021-22) and 44% to the exports (2022-23). It is the second largest employer after Agriculture and employs about 11.1 crores people spread across manufacturing, trade, and service sectors. So far there are 6.45 crore (as on 11 June 2025) MSMEs have been registered (including Informal Micro Enterprise registered on Udyam Assist Platform).

The sector has a huge potential of fostering entrepreneurship, steering economic growth, and generating large employment opportunities. However, it continues to face challenges with respect to access to credit, technology and markets, infrastructure bottlenecks, delayed payments etc. Furthermore, the pandemic hurt the MSMEs as it affected their liquidity, aggravated NPAs, increased unsold inventory and disrupted supply chains.

Considering the above, the Ministry of MSME, Government of India designed and launched a new Central Sector Scheme, namely ‘Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP)’, supported by the World Bank:

• Outlay - Rs. 6062.45 crore (USD 808 Mn)
• Duration - 5 years (FY 2022 – FY 2027)
• Target - 555,000 MSMEs

The Cabinet approved the scheme on 30th March 2022 and the same was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 30th June 2022.

RAMP is a Programme for Results (PfR) and has two Key Result Areas:

• Strengthening institutions and governance of MSME programmes, and
• Support for market access, firm capabilities and access to finance

These 2 KRAs are to be achieved through Six Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs):

• Implementing the National MSME Reform Agenda;
• Accelerating MSME Sector Centre-State collaboration;
• Enhancing effectiveness of Technology Upgradation Scheme (CLCS-TUS);
• Strengthening Receivable Financing Market for MSMEs;
• Enhancing Effectiveness of Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) and “Greening and Gender” delivery; and
• Reducing the incidence of delayed payments.

A robust institutional arrangement has been put in place to implement and monitor the implementation of programme activities. This includes setting up of a National MSME Council, with representation from the Ministry, other union ministries operating in the MSME space, and all States/UTs. It is headed by Hon'ble Minister for MSME. The primary objective of the Council is to oversee inter-departmental and Centre-State synergies and progress on the reforms mandated in the MSME sector. Further as part of the whole of government approach, a National portal with a single sign-on for all users is being developed to provide the MSMEs access to all the relevant schemes and programmes of all ministries, states, etc with a Single Sign on.