Stand-Up India Scheme Sanctions Rs 29,000 Crore in Loans to SC/ST & Women Entrepreneurs

By: WE staff | Saturday, 26 July 2025

• Almost ₹29,000 crore in loans were given under the Centre's Stand-Up India Scheme during April 2022 and March 2025
• Beneficiaries are SC/ST and female entrepreneurs from all over the nation
• The scheme is focused on empowering the weaker sections through funding and capacity building

Under the Centre's Stand-Up India Scheme, almost ₹29,000 crore worth of loans have been sanctioned to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs in the period from April 2022 to March 2025, the Parliament was told on Tuesday.

While tabling a Rajya Sabha reply, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pointed out that besides the financing, the scheme also provides a series of capacity-building facilities—ranging from skilling centres, mentor support, Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) centres, and District Industries Centres—to benefit marginalized sections.

Announced on April 5, 2016, the Stand-Up India Scheme aims to promote SC/ST and women entrepreneurship through financing in the form of loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore from the Scheduled Commercial Banks. The intention is to encourage at least one borrower from SC/ST and one woman borrower per bank branch to set up a greenfield enterprise in manufacturing, services, trading business, or agriculture-related activities.

Loans under the scheme are provided at the lowest available bank rates not exceeding the base rate + MCLR + 3 percent and a tenor premium. Repayment period goes up to 7 years with a maximum moratorium of 18 months.

To further improve accessibility, the government introduced the web portal www.standupmitra.in, which assists potential entrepreneurs with each stage—right from training and mentoring to filling loan forms. The portal also helps users reach specialized agencies throughout India with confirmed contact information.

In the past nine years, Stand-Up India has evolved from being a credit scheme to becoming a development platform with inclusive reach. By stimulating entrepreneurial dreams and facilitating access to capital, it has created livelihoods, propelled socio-economic growth, and empowered countless SC/ST and women entrepreneurs to turn their business ideas into reality.