Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Scheme for assistance to MSMEs: Assistance for Technology Acquisition

The Industries and Mines Department, Gujarat, runs the Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Scheme for MSMEs, an umbrella programme aimed at strengthening the state's micro, small and medium enterprises. It rests on the recognition that MSMEs are central to job creation, GDP contribution and export earnings, and it seeks to drive their growth and investment in line with the Aatmanirbhar Gujarat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat objectives.

The scheme took effect on October 5, 2022, and remains in force until October 4, 2027, giving eligible enterprises a five-year window to draw on its benefits.

One of its components, Assistance for Technology Acquisition, targets MSMEs adopting modern and suitable technologies for product development or for reworking their operational methods. It eases the cost of acquiring such technology by meeting a large share of the expense — up to 65% of the total technology acquisition cost, which includes royalty payments for the first two years.

Through this support, the Gujarat Government aims to raise MSME competitiveness, support modernisation and spread innovation across industrial sectors. The assistance helps enterprises upgrade capabilities, streamline production, lower costs and reach new markets with technologically advanced goods and services, keeping them competitive domestically and abroad and strengthening the state's industrial base.

Applications for Assistance for Technology Acquisition under the Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Scheme for MSMEs are submitted entirely online through the Gujarat Government's Investor Facilitation Portal (IFP).

- **Step 1: New Investor Registration:** Start by opening the Investor Facilitation Portal (IFP) at https://ifp.gujarat.gov.in/DIGIGOV/. Find the "New Investor Registration" link on the portal and click it to begin registering. - **Step 2: Fill Registration Form:** Complete every mandatory field in the registration form with care. Basic company details, contact information, and login credentials are typically required. After entering all the information, click "Submit". - **Step 3: Email Verification:** A verification link will arrive by email at the address you supplied during registration. Open your registered email account, find the link, and click it to verify your email ID. Your account cannot be activated without this step. - **Step 4: Successful Registration:** Once your email is verified, your account stands registered on the IFP, confirming that you may proceed with the scheme application. - **Step 5: Login to Portal:** Having registered successfully, return to the Investor Facilitation Portal and click the "Login" button. - **Step 6: Enter Credentials:** Type your registered email address and the password created during registration into the corresponding fields. - **Step 7: Access Account:** Click "Login" to securely reach your personal or business account on the IFP. - **Step 8: Complete Application:** After logging in, you will be taken through the detailed application form for the Assistance for Technology Acquisition scheme. This calls for thorough information on your business and the proposed technology acquisition, along with uploading every mandatory supporting document named in the scheme guidelines. Make sure documents such as MSME/DPIIT registration, project reports, technology cost estimates, and royalty agreements are ready and uploaded correctly. Throughout the application period, check the portal and your registered email regularly for updates or requests for further information.

Applications for Assistance for Technology Acquisition are assessed in more than one round, so that the technology proposed for purchase can be checked against the scheme's aims and the applicant MSME against the eligibility conditions. Once the online form and supporting documents are in, a committee constituted within the Industries and Mines Department, Gujarat — or an implementing agency appointed for the purpose — screens each submission. That first review covers whether the application is complete and accurate, and whether the enterprise itself qualifies.

A technical assessment may follow, examining the technology in question for its suitability, its scope for innovation, and the difference it would make to the MSME's product or process. Those that clear these rounds are put forward for approval, and the competent authority takes the final decision against set criteria and the budget available. Transparency is built into the process, which is intended for MSMEs able to show both a genuine requirement and a workable plan for putting technology to use in growing the business.