MSME Credit Demand Surges as Markets Open Post Unlock in Jun’21.
Backed by ECLGS, MSME credit disbursement in FY 2021 higher than previous year.
Devika Nair 
Findings from the latest edition of the SIDBI - TransUnion CIBIL MSME Pulse Report indicate that in FY 2021, loans worth ₹9.5 lakh crores were disbursed to MSMEs. This amount is much higher than the preceding year- FY 2020, when loans amounting to ₹6.8 lakh crores were disbursed. Government interventions like Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) under the Atmanirbhar Bharat program was the major factor in driving this significant surge in credit disbursement to MSMEs. The total on-balance sheet commercial lending exposure in India stood at ₹74.36 lakh crores in March ’21, with YOY growth rate of 0.6%. MSME segment’s credit exposure stood at ₹20.21 lakh crores as of March ’21, showing YOY growth rate of 6.6%. This credit growth is observed across all the sub segments of MSME lending.
Report analysis shows a significant surge in credit demand post unlocks after the 1st and 2nd wave of the pandemic. Followed by the initial drop in commercial credit enquires by 76% during the 1st wave, they recovered rapidly backed by ECLGS intervention and have since sustained close to pre-COVID-19 levels. March ’21 commercial credit enquiries were at 32% over pre-COVID-19 levels; this strong momentum was impacted by the 2nd wave, but June ’21 again showed a sharp recovery to pre-COVID-19 levels.
