State to set up commissionerate for MSMEs to boost sector

Nashik: State govt will set up a dedicated commissionerate for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to be headed by a commissioner, in an effort to strengthen and expand the sector across the state. It will be set up in Mumbai. Besides, another commissionerate dedicated to the service sector will also be established in Mumbai, officials said.According to officials, the new MSME commissionerate will function as the nodal institutional mechanism for framing, implementing and monitoring MSME-related policies. It will facilitate access to credit and markets, promote innovation and ensure timely grievance redressal for entrepreneurs and industrial units.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced the creation of the dedicated MSME commissionerate while presenting the state budget for 2026-27. He also said that "Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Centres" will be established in every district. "Through this policy, around 50 lakh direct jobs will be created. I am announcing the establishment of a commissionerate for micro and small industries and a Service Commissionerate for this purpose," he stated during the budget speech.According to the latest economic survey, Maharashtra had 63.85 lakh MSMEs registered on Udyam registration portal till Dec 2025. This includes 62.11 lakh micro, 1.55 lakh small and 18,000 medium enterprises employing nearly 2.52 crore people. Development commissioner for industries, Deependra Singh Kushwah, told TOI that the MSME commissionerate to be set up in Mumbai is likely to become functional within the next two months.The commissionerate will include specialised cells for cluster development, service‑sector MSMEs, export facilitation and inclusive entrepreneurship, creating a more targeted, coordinated and responsive support system for MSME-led growth across Maharashtra, as outlined in the state's Industrial Policy 2025.Kushwah added that the new structure will implement various schemes, incentives and promotional measures aimed at strengthening MSMEs, improving competitiveness and enabling the sector to scale sustainably.