Itifaq Lone
Leh, Jul 28: Despite having provided employment avenues to 54284 persons in Ladakh union territory in registered 18594 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), the Central Government has not carried impact assessment studies to evaluate the success of the ongoing schemes specifically in the region.
This was revealed in a written response by Minister of State for MSME, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, to a question raised in the Lok Sabha by Ladakh MP Mohd Haneefa Jan. The minister admitted that no specific impact assessments have been carried out for Ladakh.
The government reported that 9,532 entrepreneurs in Ladakh have benefited from schemes like the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (KGVY). Additionally, 260 individuals were supported under the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) aimed at promoting Khadi and village industries.
The Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESDP) has also been rolled out in the region. In the past three financial years, 31 training programmes were held under this initiative, with 1,717 people participating. The programme targets youth, including women and marginalized communities, encouraging them to explore entrepreneurship as a career path.
The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), established in 2000, has approved 2,348 credit guarantees in Ladakh, amounting to ₹300.73 crore. This initiative helps small businesses access loans without needing collateral.
Meanwhile, the Procurement and Marketing Support (PMS) scheme saw minimal activity in the region, with no beneficiaries in 2022-23, only two in 2023-24, and 80 in 2024-25. So far, there are no beneficiaries in the ongoing financial year.
One initiative showing local impact is the solar-powered wool processing cluster set up by Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI) in Saspochey village, benefiting more than 20 women artisans involved in spinning.
The PM Vishwakarma scheme, launched in 2023 to support artisans from traditional trades, has received 6,462 applications in Ladakh, out of which 4,184 individuals have successfully registered and begun receiving benefits.
To further support traditional artisans, the government has also established the Centre for Rural Enterprise Acceleration through Technology (CREATE) at the Leh Handloom Department. This facility processes Pashmina and aims to improve local livelihoods by enhancing product quality and productivity.
The Ministry of MSME maintains that its schemes are being implemented nationwide, including in Ladakh, with the goal of boosting innovation, competitiveness, and capacity of small enterprises. However, without region-specific evaluations, the effectiveness of these efforts in Ladakh remains unclear.
Ladakh MSMEs boom: 54284 jobs created, but Central Govt skips impact assessment
