New Delhi, Jan. 20 -- The Centre is planning a steep increase in the financial outlay of its MSME Champions Scheme to around Rs.10,000 crore for the next five years, according to two officials aware of the development, amid efforts to push cleaner manufacturing, exports, and global competitiveness among small businesses. The comparable allocation for FY22-FY26 was Rs.1,125 crore.

"The outlay for the MSME Champions scheme may be upwardly revised to about Rs.8,000 crore or Rs.10,000 crore over the next five years, and the proposal has reached the EFC (expenditure finance committee) stage," said one of the officials cited above, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Procedurally, once the EFC - chaired by the expenditure secretary V. Vua...