Chennai: Looking at long-term solutions for the economic and financial sustainability of the MSME sector, the Reserve Bank has set up an expert committee under former Sebi chairman U K Sinha.
The announcement came one day after the RBI allowed a one-time restructuring of existing debt up to Rs 25 crore for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which have defaulted on payment, but the loans given to them have continued to be classified as standard assets.
The eight-member committee will examine factors affecting the timely (and adequate) availability of finance to the sector, a statement from the RBI read. ‘The expert committee will submit its report by the end of June 2019,’ it said.
The panel has been asked to review the current institutional framework in place to support the MSME sector and study the impact of the recent economic reforms on the sector and “identify the structural problems affecting its growth”.
The panel has been asked to study the global best practices with respect to MSMEs and recommend its adoption in India wherever appropriate. The panel will also review the existing MSME focused policies and its impact on the sector.
Moreover, the Sinha-led panel has also been asked to propose measures for leveraging technology in accelerating growth of the sector and suggest long-term solutions.
While constituting the panel, the RBI said, considering the importance of the MSMEs in the Indian economy, it is essential to understand the structural bottlenecks and factors affecting the performance of MSMEs.
The industry contributes about 40 per cent to the country’s export and 45 per cent in the manufacturing sector.