Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme Drives Inclusive Growth with Strong Support for Women and Rural Entrepreneurs

• PMEGP = Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, a credit-linked subsidy scheme of the Ministry of MSME, implemented nationally by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for setting up new non-farm micro-enterprises in rural and urban areas.
• Continued through the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26) with outlay ₹13,554.42 crore; flagship vehicle for rural industrialisation and micro-enterprise employment under MSME ministry.
• UPSC relevance: GS-III (employment, MSME, inclusive growth), GS-II (welfare scheme design, SC/ST/women targeting), Prelims (scheme parameters, subsidy slabs, implementing body).