Stand-Up India
Department of Financial Services
The 2016 scheme's window ended in Mar 2025. On 16 Mar 2026 the Finance Minister told Lok Sabha it is being redrafted (after NITI Aayog studies) and a new scheme will go to Cabinet; no relaunch had been notified as of early Oct 2026. The Budget 2025 promise of term loans up to ₹2 crore for 5 lakh first-time women/SC/ST entrepreneurs is also still awaited. Banks' Stand-Up Mitra portal remains the place to watch.
What changed: Revamp announced (Mar 2026), not yet launched
Stand-Up India helps SC/ST and women entrepreneurs get bank loans to start a new business for the first time.
Objectives
The Scheme aims to finance Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST) and/or women entrepreneurs by facilitating bank loans for setting up a greenfield project enterprise in manufacturing, services, trading sector and activities allied to agriculture. The objective is to facilitate bank loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore to at least one SC or ST entrepreneur and at least one-woman entrepreneur per bank branch for setting up a greenfield enterprise. This enterprise may be in manufacturing, services, agri-allied activities or the trading sector.
Who can apply?
- Applicant must be from the SC/ST category or a woman, above 18 years of age. Finance is provided only for greenfield enterprises.
What do you get?
- Eligible applicants are provided composite loan (inclusive of term loan and working capital) above ₹10 lakh and up to ₹1 crore.
- The loan is repayable in 7 years with a maximum moratorium period of 18 months.
How to apply
The original window ended in March 2025. On 16 Mar 2026 the Finance Minister said a redrafted scheme will go to Cabinet; it had not been notified as of early Oct 2026. Watch standupmitra.in.