New Delhi, Nov. 28 -- Delayed payments have long been one of the most critical challenges for Indian MSMEs, particularly micro enterprises, and I have highlighted this in my earlier posts. We often talk about ease of doing business, digital transformation, and the promise of a growing economy, but on the ground things are not conducive for MSMEs to operate or scale. A delayed payment is a roadblock that can disrupt production, halt procurement, affect logistics, and even delay salaries. In many cases, businesses are even forced to borrow at high interest rates just to stay afloat.
I have come across media reports indicating that delayed payments have come down to Rs 7.34 lakh crore as of March 2024 as compared to Rs. 8.27 lakh crore in the...