Key Highlights
- By August 2025, Stand‑Up India has disbursed ₹62,791 crore in credit to 275,291 beneficiaries, primarily SC, ST and women entrepreneurs.
- Each scheduled commercial bank branch is required to serve at least one SC/ST borrower and one female borrower, guaranteeing a minimal outreach.
- Loans range from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore and target trading, manufacturing, services and agri‑related activities.
Detailed Insights
Introduced on 5 April 2016, the scheme was crafted to boost greenfield ventures from historically under‑represented groups by offering customised capital support.
The bank‑branch rule ensures that every Scheduled Commercial Bank facilitates at least one SC/ST and one woman entrepreneur per office, creating a built‑in pool of social inclusion.
From its launch until August 2025, the program has funneled ₹62,791 crore in working capital loans, placing 275,291 individuals on the formal credit map. These entrepreneurs mainly operate in semi‑urban and rural settings, arguing for broader financial inclusion.
Complementing this, the Ministry’s Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) for crop loans distributed ₹17,811.72 crore in FY 2024‑25, supplying interest subsidies and Prompt Repayment Incentives (PRI) to ease farmers’ debt burdens.
Together, these measures underscore a policy triad: inclusive entrepreneurship, agricultural credit relief and digital lending regulation, all aimed at fostering inclusive growth and rural development.
Key Concepts
- Stand‑Up India – A flagship credit initiative targeting SC/ST and women entrepreneurs with greenfield loans.
- SC/ST – Scheduled Castes and Tribes, legally recognised communities eligible for affirmative action.
- Financial Inclusion – The process of ensuring that all individuals have access to usable and affordable financial products.
- Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) – A government programme that subsidises the interest on short‑term crop loans.
- Prompt Repayment Incentives (PRI) – Interest discounts given to borrowers who repay loans ahead of schedule.