The government has issued a warning to MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) against a deceptive portal, eudyogaadhaar.org, falsely claiming to be a government-approved consultancy for Udyam registration. Through its PIB Fact Check Twitter handle, the government exposed the fake portal, which charges Rs 2,700 under the pretense of “printing the registration certificate.”

Official Portal Clarification

The official Udyam registration portal, udyamregistration.gov.in, is the sole platform authorized for MSME registration, according to the government. The warning emphasized that no other private online or offline entity is authorized to conduct MSME registration activities. The government portal ensures a free-of-cost, paperless registration process based on self-declaration, with only the Aadhaar number required.

Proliferation of Fraudulent Portals

Despite the official portal’s prominence, various deceptive MSME registration portals such as udyamregister.org, udyogadharcertificate.in, udyamregistration.co, udyam-registration.co.in, etc., continue to operate, offering registration support and potentially misleading businesses.

Statistics and Continued Vigilance

The official Udyam portal achieved over 1 crore MSME registrations in August, marking a significant milestone since its launch in July 2020. While a small percentage of enterprises have withdrawn their registrations, the government remains vigilant against fraudulent activities. As of July 15, 2022, 35,501 enterprises withdrew their Udyam registrations, constituting 0.35% of the total registrations on the portal. The government encourages MSMEs to exercise caution and utilize the official portal for authentic registration processes.