Upper-caste businesspersons own 61.8% of micro, small and medium firms in India: Government data
Entrepreneurs from the Scheduled Caste category own 6.8% of these enterprises, while those in the Scheduled Tribe category own just 2.1% of them.
People belonging to the general category own 61.8% of all the micro, small and medium enterprises in India, The Hindu reported on Wednesday, citing government data.
The Mandal Commission, which looked into the question of Other Backward Class reservation, has defined general category as groups that are “socially and educationally advanced”.
According to data from the office of the MSME development commissioner, as of March 31, businesspersons belonging to the general category own 49.56 lakh of the 80.16 lakh units in the country, The Hindu reported.
Enterprises are categorised as micro industries if their investment in plant and machinery or equipment does not exceed Rs 1 crore and the turnover does not exceed Rs 5 crore, according to government data.
Firms with investments up to Rs 510 crore and turnover of up to Rs 250 crore have been classified as medium-scale industries. Meanwhile, for a small industry, the benchmark of investments is Rs 10 crore and Rs 50 crore.
Members of the Other Backward Classes own nearly 30%, or 23.31 lakh MSME units in India, according to the data accessed by The Hindu. Of these, around 41% are located in three states – Tamil Nadu (14.5% or 3.37 lakh units), Maharashtra (14.4% or 3.35 lakh units) and Rajasthan (12.4% or 2.89 lakh units).
An estimated 6.8% or 5.43 lakh units are owned by people from the Scheduled Castes category, while entrepreneurs from the Scheduled Tribes own 1.68 lakh units or 2.1% share. Over 18,000 units have been categorised as unidentified.
