Why in the News?
The Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund has invested about ₹10,979 crore in 577 MSMEs across India as of March 2025. The highest number of investee firms are in Karnataka (151), followed by Maharashtra (144) and Delhi (69).
About the Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund Scheme:
- Launch: The SRI Fund was launched in 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Package to provide equity funding to MSMEs with growth potential.
- Total Corpus: It targets ₹50,000 crore, with ₹10,000 crore from the Government of India and ₹40,000 crore to be raised from private investors.
- Structure and Management: The fund is a Category-II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) registered with SEBI. The fund uses a two-tier structure:
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- A Mother Fund managed by NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL).
- 60 empanelled Daughter Funds that make direct investments in MSMEs.
- Progress: As of March 2025, the SRI Fund has invested ₹10,979 crore in 577 MSMEs.
- Package Alignment: It is a component of the ₹20 lakh crore Atmanirbhar Bharat package, equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP.
Key Features Impact:
- Funding Type: Offers equity or quasi-equity support to reduce MSMEs’ reliance on debt and strengthen long-term growth.
- Sectoral Focus: Prioritises manufacturing, services, and high-growth MSMEs, especially those engaged in innovation, R&D, and exports.
- Addressing Credit Gap: Helps bridge India’s ₹30 lakh crore MSME credit gap by complementing credit guarantee schemes with equity-based support.
- Revised Eligibility: With the turnover limit raised to ₹500 crore, more companies now qualify for SRI and related MSME support.
| [UPSC 2017] The term ‘Domestic Content Requirement’ is sometimes seen in the news with reference to:
Options: (a) Developing solar power production in our country* (b) Granting licenses to foreign T.V. channels in our country. (c) Exporting our food products to other countries. (d) Permitting foreign educational institutions to set up their campuses in our country. |
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