Central Public Sector Enterprises’ (CPSEs) sourcing from scheduled caste/scheduled tribes (SC-ST) units among micro and small enterprises (MSE) category is expected to nearly double to ₹700 crore this financial year. Sourcing from these units in the last fiscal (2016-17) stood at ₹329 crore.

“This sudden growth has happened because of the Union Ministry of MSME aggressively monitoring CPSEs’ sourcing pattern and preferences on a regular basis,” P Gowri Sankara Rao, Director, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) told BusinessLine .

3-year pattern Rao said in 2014-15, of the total procurement of ₹1.31 lakh crore, the MSE’s share was ₹1,5300 crore. Of this, SC-ST units got ₹59 crore.

In fiscal 2015-16, of the total procurement of ₹1.34 lakh crore, MSE’s share stood at ₹18,246 crore and SC-ST units got ₹99 crore.

In the last financnial year, total procurement by CPSEs stood at ₹1.36 lakh crore and MSE’s share was ₹24,470 crore and SC-ST units got ₹329 crore.

Rao said an aggressive monitoring mechanism was installed by the Ministry to achieve the 4 per cent stipulated by the Public Procurement Policy 2012 and to create a supportive ecosystem for SC/ST entrepreneurs.

“The Ministry has also begun to handhold these units in capacity building, thereby enabling them to effectively participate in public procurement process,” he added.

State conclave To achieve the target, the Union Ministry of MSME has been conducting National SC/ST Hub (NSSH) State conclaves. “NSSH conclave is being held in Bengaluru on Thursday,” Rao said.

For the State conclave in Karnataka, the Ministry has brought CPSEs, industry associations and State government departments on a common platform and is deliberating on the steps to be taken to fulfil the policy mandate for SC-ST entrepreneurs, he added.

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