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Monday, February 23, 2026
TopicMSME distress

Topic: MSME distress

Over-regulation is holding back MSME growth, states need to lead in easing these: Economic Survey

The next round of easing business regulations—a much bigger problem for MSMEs than for big firms—needs to be driven by states in areas of land, labour, transport, & penalties, it said.

‘This is Kalyug’: MSMEs, workers in shoe hub Agra say GST hike a kick in the gut after Covid

Covid lockdowns and ongoing Omicron wave have hit hard, but GST hike to 12% from 5% on footwear below Rs 1,000 has knocked down many businesses & left labourers without work.

More businesspeople died of suicide than farmers in 2020, shows NCRB data

NCRB data shows 11,716 businesspersons died of suicide in 2020, while farmer suicides stood at 10,677, which is around 1,039 cases fewer.

Demand down, revenue down but costs up: Pandemic takes shine away from UP’s ‘peetal nagri’

Uttar Pradesh's brass, scissors and locks industries all hit by lockdowns, rising input costs & inflation. Small business owners complain of being denied loans under govt schemes for MSMEs. 

Small units pack up, weavers prefer to be guards: How Covid ruined Karnataka garment industry

Handloom weaving, among smallest components of textile MSMEs, took a massive hit due to the lockdowns, which saw consumer demand plummet, crippling garment industry as a whole.

MSMEs slowly get back on their feet, but liquidity problems, shortage of orders & labour remain

A survey has found that 9% of MSME units were shut as on 1 August on account of the Covid-19 pandemic as opposed to 13% in June and July.

Govt expands MSME loan guarantee scheme to include lawyers, doctors & large firms

The Rs 3-lakh crore loan guarantee scheme was announced in May, and so far around Rs 1.37 lakh crore has been sanctioned under the scheme.

On Camera

Nick Jonas wearing a mangalsutra is validation for many Indians. He’s our favourite jiju

Nick Jonas is not trying to modernise the mangalsutra, but his gesture shows that choices can be equal. If commitment must be flaunted, it need not be gendered.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

Suspected brake failure leads to Tejas accident after landing, airframe likely to be written off

The IAF, so far, remains mum on this accident which has led to grounding of the fleet for safety checks.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.