Govt to revamp Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs

The Government will soon come out with a modified Stand-Up India scheme to provide better benefits to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs looking to set up new projects, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.

Launched in 2016, the Stand-Up India scheme aimed to empower Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women entrepreneurs by facilitating bank loans for setting up new enterprises. The scheme expired on March 31, 2025.

Replying to a supplementary question in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said the modified scheme will incorporate lessons learnt in the implementation of the original Stand-Up India scheme.

“With studies done by Niti Aayog and others, this scheme is being redrafted, and soon the Cabinet will be given a proposal with which we will launch a new scheme to continue with this Stand-Up, which benefited SC/ST and women all over the country,” Sitharaman said.