Over 3 lakh artisans set to benefit from SFURTI Cluster Development Initiatives

New Delhi [India], March 15 (ANI): The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has completed 364 projects under the Micro and Small Enterprises-Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP), while the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) continues to scale traditional industry clusters.
Out of 606 projects approved since the inception of the MSE-CDP scheme, 242 remain ongoing, focusing on enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of small enterprises through Common Facility Centres (CFCs) and infrastructure partitioning.
The ministry reported that these clusters "benefit approximately 3.03 lakh traditional artisans engaged in diverse sectors such as handicrafts, handloom, agro-processing, coir, honey, and related activities".
According to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the SFURTI initiative has approved 513 clusters across the country since the 2015-16 period. This program involved a committed government assistance of Rs 1,332.95 crore. Currently, 378 of these clusters are functional, while 135 are in various stages of implementation.
The MSE-CDP serves as a demand-driven Central Sector Scheme where state governments submit proposals based on the collective needs of existing clusters. The admissible components for setting up CFCs include "Industry 4.0 and its Learning Facilities, Additive Manufacturing Facilities, Digital Infrastructure," along with R&D centres and common renewable energy generation.
The ministry also emphasised "CFC for Greenfield clusters for holistic developments of MSME sector" to ensure infrastructure supports modern manufacturing demands.
Regarding the digital transition, the ministry noted that the industrial landscape has seen "increased digitalisation in recent years, with enhanced operational efficiency for MSME in value creation and competitiveness."
To support this, the government utilises platforms like DigiLocker and the IndiaAI Datasets Platform. Additionally, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises supports digital empowerment through "digital registration under Udyam, training in Tool Rooms /Technology Centres for technology adoption, and incubation of new ideas."
The government has also introduced the Trade Enablement and Marketing (TEAM) scheme to assist small enterprises in joining the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). This scheme provides financial assistance for "onboarding, cataloguing, account management, logistics, packaging material and design." The ministry specifically noted that "half of these beneficiary MSMEs will be women-owned enterprises."
Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Sushri Shobha Karandlaje shared these details in a written reply in Lok Sabha on March 12, 2026. (ANI)