Union Budget 2025: Kerala industry players welcome tax concessions, eye growth in MSMEs, start-ups and agriculture

The move to identify 100 districts in the country to boost agriculture production and processing is likely to help Kerala, which is one of the most backward in agricultural production. 
| Photo Credit: SURESH ALLEPPEY

Along with the all-round cheer about the concessions announced on individual income-tax in the Union Budget 2025-26, industry players in Kerala have pointed to areas such as food processing, start-ups, agriculture development and MSMEs, which can be leveraged by the State.

Kerala State Small Industries Association (KSSIA) president A. Nizarudeen welcomed the move to provide more credit accessibility under the credit guarantee cover enhancement for micro, small and medium enterprises.

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One of the incentives is increased credit for start-ups with the guarantee fee being moderated to 1% for loans in 27 focus sectors important for Atmanirbhar Bharat. The KSSIA said that this is a positive step that will help a State such as Kerala which has laid focus on start-ups.

The move to identify 100 districts in the country to boost agriculture production and processing is likely to help Kerala, which is one of the most backward in agricultural production.

K. Shivanandan, a paddy farmer in Palakkad district, recalled that during the former Manmohan Singh government, Palakkad was included in a set of districts for a package of development. He pointed out that Palakkad and Kuttanad in Kerala are two areas that may be considered for a special package for agricultural development.

The Union Budget announcement on Saturday said that the new scheme has been inspired by the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme and the Prime Minister Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana will be implemented in partnership with States.

The programme will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters. It is expected to enhance agricultural productivity, adopt crop diversification and sustainable agriculture practices, among other goals, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Budget speech.

The MSMEs also welcomed the move to distribute micro enterprises cards with a ₹5-lakh limit to 10 lakh units in the first year of a scheme to help the MSMEs.

Mr. Nizarudeen also felt that the move to turn India into a hub for toy manufacturing and the proposal to incentivise footwear manufacturing will help MSMEs in a big way.

Industry sources said that in order to achieve self sufficiency in urea production, the government could have announced a special package to revive the urea plant at the Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore. According to sources, the urea plant was shut down in early 2000 and has remained closed despite efforts by the Kerala government.