New Delhi, Feb 2 (UNI) Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, who is also a Member of Parliament, on Monday said that the union Budget 2026 has put micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at the centre of India’s growth strategy and offers a strong roadmap to boost domestic trade and global competitiveness.
Addressing a press conference here, Khandelwal described the Budget as bold, growth-oriented and trader-friendly, stating that it is for the first time the MSME sector has been given such focused attention.
He welcomed the government’s move to recognise MSMEs as “Champions of Growth”, saying the Budget clearly places small businesses and traders at the heart of economic development.
Khandelwal said the Budget promotes domestic manufacturing, value addition and branding of Indian products, while also strengthening export potential.
He added that linking local production with global markets will help Indian goods reach new destinations with greater confidence.
Welcoming the announcement of a Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund, he said it reflects the government’s intent to integrate MSMEs into long-term growth and export plans. The fund, built on equity support, better liquidity and professional guidance, will help small businesses scale up operations, Khandelwal said.
He noted that equity support allows MSMEs to invest in technology, expand production and explore export markets without immediate repayment pressure.
“This marks a shift from short-term liquidity support to building long-term business capacity,” he said.
Khandelwal also highlighted the Rs 2,000 crore top-up to the Self-Reliant India Fund, saying it will help scalable MSMEs grow without putting stress on their balance sheets.
He welcomed several reforms aimed at improving access to working capital, including mandatory TReDS for CPSE purchases from MSMEs, extended credit guarantees for invoice discounting, linking GeM with TReDS, and allowing securitisation of TReDS receivables to create a secondary market.
“These steps will ensure faster, cheaper and more reliable finance for MSMEs,” he said.
Referring to the Corporate Mitras scheme, Khandelwal said it will simplify compliance for small businesses. Under the scheme, professional institutions will train accredited para-professionals in Tier-II and Tier-III towns to provide affordable compliance support to MSMEs.
He also welcomed higher budget allocations for MSME-related schemes, including GECL (Rs 9,000 crore), Fund of Funds for MSMEs (Rs 1,900 crore), RAMP (Rs 1,500 crore), PM Vishwakarma (Rs 3,861 crore) and the Atmanirbhar Fund (Rs 4,000 crore), saying these measures will further strengthen the trade finance ecosystem.
Khandelwal said the rationalisation of customs duties on several raw materials, noting that it will reduce production costs and improve the global competitiveness of Indian manufacturers and exporters.
He said the Rs 5,98,520 crore allocation to the transport sector will help improve freight efficiency, cut logistics costs and support exports. The emphasis on greener freight corridors, faster clearances and manufacturing-linked logistics will create a stronger supply chain.
He added that the Rs 10,000 crore container manufacturing scheme will also boost domestic capacity and ensure smoother cargo movement.
“Efficient logistics is key to competitiveness. These reforms will make supply chains faster and more cost-effective, directly benefiting traders, MSMEs and exporters,” he said.
Khandelwal added that CAIT will organise the ‘Bhartiya Vyapar Mahotsav’ from May 1 to May 4, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, where over 2,000 MSMEs from across the country will showcase their Made-in-India products.
