1991 पूर्वी, लघुउद्योग बंद पडण्याचे सर्वात महत्त्वाचे कारण होते :

The correct answer is Option B (Financial Problems).

Key Points:
• Core Concept
• Small Scale Industries (SSIs) in the pre-1991 license-permit era faced acute structural constraints regarding institutional credit, capital formation, and working capital.
• Why Correct
• Official Reserve Bank of India surveys and development committee reports (such as the Nayak Committee) on SSI sickness revealed that inadequate and delayed working capital, lack of term loans from commercial banks, and severe financial bottlenecks were the leading cause (responsible for over 60-65% of sickness and closures) of SSI units before 1991.
• Key Details
• Without institutional working capital, units could not sustain operational cash cycles, leading directly to insolvencies.
• Exam Traps
• While marketing and raw material problems existed, empirical data categorized 'Financial Problems / Shortage of Finance' as the root causative factor.
• Other Options
• Marketing problems (Option 1) and raw materials (Option 4) were secondary bottlenecks exacerbated primarily by inadequate financial liquidity.
• Labour issues (Option 3) accounted for a minimal percentage of small unit shutdowns.
• Key Takeaway: Inadequate finance and working capital were the primary causes of small-scale industry closures prior to 1991.