A Comparative Study of Implementation and Impact of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana in Kumaun Region of Uttarakhand (2019–2024)

The study investigates the implementation and implications of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in six Himalayan districts of the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand: Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar during the period of 2019-2024, having the main objectives to (1) assess selective beneficiary trends, district-wise, (2) assess category-wise loan distribution under Shishu, Kishore, and Tarun; and (3) identify and assess the regional disparities in the performance of PMMY. The study solely utilized data from secondary sources consisting of information from the Lead Bank Office Kumaun, District Industries Centers, and PMMY reports. The data was analysed using percentage analysis, comparative tabulation, and trend analysis to describe the study period. The study is scoped with an assessment of the outreach of PMMY, usage patterns, and the divergences at the district level in the region of Kumaun. Disparities were strong, such that Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts had the highest loan disbursements because they had greater financial infrastructure and proximity to industry, while hilly and remote districts like Bageshwar, Champawat, and Pithoragarh had very little penetration of the PMMY. In conclusion, the study affirmed that while PMMY made a very positive contribution to entrepreneur development and financial inclusion, specific interventions could assist weak-performing districts with much-needed district-based regionally focused levels of development.