Stories
Cabinet Approves Rs 10000 Crore SME Growth Fund and New Logistics Authority
- •The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 10000 crore commitment towards the SME Growth Fund to provide equity investments and address the gap in growth-stage capital for small and medium enterprises.
- •A majority allocation of the SME Growth Fund will target manufacturing-focused enterprises and SMEs operating in industrial clusters across Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
- •The Cabinet approved setting up the Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority as a Special Purpose Vehicle to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, and monitoring across the sector.
- •The new authority will prepare a comprehensive National Transport Master Plan with a 10-year horizon covering roads, railways, ports, civil aviation, and urban mobility.
- •ITLA will conduct technical appraisals for infrastructure projects costing Rs 500 crore or more and build a National Transport Data Repository to improve logistics efficiency.
Key Questions Answered
The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 10,000 crore commitment towards the SME Growth Fund, which provides direct equity investments and patient growth-stage capital to high-potential small and medium enterprises. A majority of the fund's allocation targets manufacturing-focused SMEs and those operating in industrial clusters across Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
The Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) serves as the apex body for integrated transport and logistics planning, research, policy support, and data analytics. It will prepare a comprehensive National Transport Master Plan spanning 10 years or more, evaluate short-term transport plans, and conduct technical appraisals for infrastructure projects costing Rs 500 crore or more.
ITLA will build a National Transport Data Repository by gathering datasets from multiple systems, including GSTN e-way bills, FASTag, Vahan, GPS-based systems, and urban traffic management systems. This data integration helps strengthen multimodal connectivity, improve infrastructure efficiency, and reduce overall logistics costs in India.
