2020 indeed has been a difficult year for people, especially since millions have lost their jobs in the blink of an eye. While people from the upper and middle classes of the society managed to cruise through the pandemic on the back of hefty savings, it is the poor who have again suffered.

In a mad rush to just get food on the table, the poor in the country have overlooked health regulations and put themselves in the middle of a health crisis, just to make ends meet.

Paying heed to the plight of the millions who are still coping up with the financial disruptions caused by the lockdowns, the Government of Maharashtra has initiated the Maharashtra CM’s Employment Generation Programme (CMEGP) which would help Small and Medium-sized companies to rejuvenate and get back to earning methods.

About the CMEGP

The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Employment Generation Programme or the CMEGP is a scheme initiated for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The scheme aims to create 10 lakh jobs in the next 5 years to bring employment opportunities to the people who, at the moment, do not have the means to earn a steady livelihood for themselves.

This Flagship scheme by the Maharashtra government is also considerate of the fact that women find it difficult to get a job, especially in highly male-dominated and competitive industries. To help them, the CMEGP of the Industries department would have a 30% reservation for women entrepreneurs.

Who would constitute the Beneficiary list for the CMEGP?

The following groups will be able to benefit from the scheme:

  1. Individual MSME entrepreneurs
  2. Small and medium institutions
  3. Co-operative societies
  4. Self-help groups
  5. Local trusts

How to fill the application form for the CMEGP?

If you are an entrepreneur in the State of Maharashtra wanting to benefit from the implementation of the scheme, here is how you can go about the application:

The applicant would have to read the CMEGP guidelines before filling the online application form and then proceed with the registration entering all the necessary details.

The applicant would also have to upload necessary documents to prove residence so as to avail the benefits of the scheme, as the scheme is restricted for the citizens of Maharashtra only.

Benefits from the scheme

The scheme aims to offer financial assistance to entrepreneurs.

The funding from the scheme will be offered for applicants based on their needs for the same. The scheme will offer up to ₹50 lakh for manufacturing projects and up to ₹10 lakhs for service sector activities.

The Nodal Bank for the funding to be issued will be Corporation Bank and the beneficiaries will be financed by Nationalised and Private sector banks like Yes Bank, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank.

This is a path-breaking initiative on behalf of the Maharashtra government which will not only benefit the poor but the productive efforts will also help the national GDP.