Context:

• The Stand-Up India Scheme completed 9 years on 5 April 2025.

Key Points:

• The Stand-Up India Scheme was launched on 5 April 2016 to promote grassroots entrepreneurship with a focus on economic empowerment and employment generation.

Objectives of the Scheme:

• To promote entrepreneurship among women and individuals belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
• To provide loans for greenfield enterprises in manufacturing, services, trading sector, and activities allied to agriculture.
• To facilitate bank loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for at least one SC/ST borrower and at least one woman borrower per bank branch of scheduled commercial banks.

Eligibility for Loans:

• SC/ST and/or women entrepreneurs above 18 years of age.
• Loans under the scheme are available only for greenfield projects. In this context, greenfield means the first-time venture of the beneficiary in manufacturing, services, or trading sector or allied agricultural activities.
• In case of non-individual enterprises, 51% of the shareholding and controlling stake should be held by either SC/ST and/or woman entrepreneur.
• The borrower should not be in default to any bank/financial institution.
• The scheme envisages 'up to 15%' margin money, which can be provided in convergence with eligible Central/State schemes. In any case, the borrower must contribute a minimum of 10% of the project cost as their own share.

Achievements:

• Since the launch of the scheme, the total sanctioned amount increased from ₹14,431.14 crore (as on 31 October 2018) to ₹61,020.41 crore (as on 17 March 2025).
• Significant financial empowerment has been seen among SC/ST communities and women entrepreneurs (between Nov 2018 to Nov 2024):
• SC accounts increased from 9,399 to 46,248; loan amount rose from ₹1,826.21 crore to ₹9,747.11 crore.
• ST accounts rose from 2,841 to 15,228; sanctioned loan amount rose from ₹574.65 crore to ₹3,244.07 crore.
• Women entrepreneur accounts grew from 55,644 to 1,90,844; sanctioned loan amount increased from ₹12,452.37 crore to ₹43,984.10 crore.

Provision in Union Budget 2025-26:

• New scheme announced for first-time entrepreneurs from women, SC, and ST communities.
• Under this scheme, term loans up to ₹2 crore will be provided over the next five years.
• Inspired by the success of the Stand-Up India Scheme, this new initiative will also focus on building entrepreneurship and managerial skills through online capacity building.