The Government has released Rs. 10 bn in Margin Money subsidy under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), a credit-linked initiative aimed at supporting the creation of new micro-enterprises. The release was announced at a special function organised by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in New Delhi. The subsidy will support more than 11,000 beneficiaries whose project loans have been sanctioned by banks. The loans, amounting to approximately Rs. 32 bn, will help the beneficiaries establish new micro-enterprises across a range of sectors. The financial assistance is intended to help them move from approved proposals to operational businesses, with the subsidy serving as support alongside institutional lending. Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Jitan Ram Manjhi oversaw the release at the function. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring that aspiring entrepreneurs receive adequate institutional support to turn their business plans into viable enterprises. The event highlighted the role of coordinated support from government agencies and banks in enabling applicants to access finance and establish income-generating activities. The programme places particular emphasis on applicants from rural areas, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and economically weaker sections. By linking bank finance with a subsidy, PMEGP is designed to lower the initial funding burden for eligible applicants and improve access to formal institutional credit. This approach also seeks to encourage wider participation in entrepreneurship by making formal credit more accessible to groups identified as priority beneficiaries under the programme. PMEGP is one of the Government’s flagship programmes for generating sustainable self-employment in the non-farm sector. It supports the establishment of new micro-enterprises and is intended to expand livelihood opportunities while encouraging entrepreneurship among groups that face barriers to conventional finance. The latest release underlines the role of subsidy-backed credit in promoting small-scale enterprise development across the country.