1.72 lakh women-owned MSMEs registered in J&K since 2020

Srinagar, July 31: More than 1.72 lakh women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir since the launch of the Udyam portal in July 2020.As per the data available, between 2020 and July 15, 2025, a total of 1,72,192 women entrepreneurs registered their businesses in the Union Territory through the Udyam and Udyam Assist Platforms. The number saw steady growth over the years, with 5,635 registrations in 2020–21, 15,187 in 2021–22, 25,587 in 2022–23, and a sharp jump to 77,785 in 2023–24. In the current financial year, up to July 15, 48,079 women-led MSMEs have already been registered.The percentage share of women entrepreneurs among all MSME registrations in Jammu and Kashmir also increased significantly over time. In 2020–21, the share stood at 11.39%, which gradually rose to 16.62% in 2021–22, 20.34% in 2022–23, and peaked at 26.62% in 2023–24. As of mid-July 2025, women account for 22.72% of the MSMEs registered in the current year.Officials said that the government has been encouraging women entrepreneurs in the UT through financial schemes, skill-building programs, and awareness campaigns. Among the key benefits available to women-led enterprises is enhanced support under the Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS), where 90% of the loan amount is covered, compared to 75% for others. They are also given 10% relaxation in guarantee fees.Nationally, women entrepreneurs contribute substantially to the MSME ecosystem. In the last financial year alone, women-led MSMEs accounted for 32.31% of employment generated in the sector, along with 10.74% of investments and 10.40% of turnover.