Goldilocks entrepreneurs: Too small to get loans, too big for scheme sops

India needs many SMEs, each of whom may not individually hire many people, but collectively, they can provide a quantum of productive employment

Amit understood needles and stitches, time-and-motion studies and manufacturing crises. He did not yet understand the other things that entrepreneurs faced: The trouble in getting basic services, in getting electricity, in getting a loan, in finding land. While seeking a loan, he found himself spending days in the branch of a large public sector bank, wrestling with paperwork and trying to convince the bank officers of the viability of his business. After missing 10 days of work, and still facing additional demands for changes and information, Amit gave up on the attempt entirely. As of 2017, the total supply of