The government has launched the Corporate Mitra scheme to link private corporates with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and strengthen local supply chains, it said. The initiative aims to support MSMEs by facilitating procurement, mentorship and market access, with a particular focus on smaller cities and towns. Officials described the scheme as an effort to decentralise industrial development and to broaden opportunities beyond major urban centres. Under the scheme, corporates will be encouraged to adopt MSMEs as partners through strategic vendor development, technical support and access to credit lines arranged in collaboration with financial institutions. The programme will also include capacity building programmes, product quality upgrades and assistance with compliance to enable smaller suppliers to meet corporate procurement standards. Industry bodies will play a coordinating role to match requirements and capabilities. Officials said the measure was designed to spur employment in smaller cities by creating predictable demand for local suppliers and by incentivising investment in regional manufacturing clusters. The scheme will prioritise linkages that can generate direct jobs in assembly, packaging and logistics as well as indirect work in services and input industries. Authorities indicated that improved market access and organised procurement would also encourage enterprises to formalise operations and seek certification.\n\nImplementation will be phased, starting with pilot clusters and extending to a wider set of towns as administrative capacities are built. The government will monitor delivery through periodic reviews and metrics for supplier onboarding, order volumes and employment creation. Officials said partnerships with state governments and industry chambers would be essential to scale the model across regions. Complementary measures will include digital platforms to match demand and supply, simplified compliance frameworks and incentives for corporates that source from registered MSMEs. The initiative will aim to improve cash flow for smaller firms and to promote sustainable supplier relationships that can withstand market shocks.