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Stand-Up India: Entrepreneurship for SC/ST and Women
July 19, 20266 min read
Stand-Up India: Entrepreneurship for SC/ST and Women
Introduction
Stand-Up India was launched in April 2016 by the Government of India to promote entrepreneurship among Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and women. The scheme aims to facilitate bank loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore to at least one SC/ST borrower and one woman borrower per bank branch for setting up greenfield enterprises. It addresses the structural credit gap faced by historically marginalised communities in enterprise creation.
Background and Rationale
The Credit Gap for Marginalised Groups
| Group | Share in Population (2011) | Share in Bank Credit to MSMEs (est.) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCs | 16.6% | ~5% | 11.6% |
| STs | 8.6% | ~2% | 6.6% |
| Women-owned enterprises | 13.8% of all enterprises | ~5% of MSME credit | 8.8% |
Why Targeted Intervention?
- Historical disadvantage: SC/ST communities have limited asset ownership for collateral
- Social discrimination: Access to formal credit hampered by social barriers
- Low entrepreneurship rates: SCs/STs own only ~10% of MSMEs despite being 25%+ of population
- Women's economic agency: India ranks low in women's entrepreneurship (FLFPR ~35%)
- Job creation potential:...
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