“The SME sector accounts for about 45 per cent of India’s manufacturing output and 40 per cent of the total exports of the country,” said DS Rawat. “Besides, the sector is estimated to employ about 59 million persons in over 26 million units which produce over 6,000 products ranging from traditional to high-techs items.”

Andhra Pradesh emerged as the second leading state by generating about 33,115 job opportunities and assisted about 1,459 SME units utilizing about Rs 48.9 crore of the margin money subsidy, highlights the Assocham study.

Assisting about 3,205 units, Uttar Pradesh ranked third with 30,880 jobs generated in the SMEs sector with the state government utilizing worth over Rs 107 crore of the margin money subsidy.

Tamil Nadu emerged as the fourth leading state by creating about 27,138 jobs and assisted about 1,827 SME units utilizing margin money subsidy of over Rs 44.6 crore during the aforesaid period.

The state of Odisha ranked fifth as about 21,010 employment opportunities were created in the SME sector as 2,101 SMEs were assisted by the state utilizing the margin money subsidy worth over Rs 39 crore.

Assam assisted about 2,234 SME units and created about 17,944 jobs utilizing about Rs 24 crore of margin money subsidy. About 15,442 jobs were created in SME sector by providing assistance to about 1,347 units in Karnataka utilizing the margin money subsidy worth over Rs 27 crore.

About 15,423 jobs were created in the SME industry of Bihar as the state government assisted about 2,442 units utilizing over Rs 50 crore of margin money subsidy. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were other leading states in this regard.