Karnataka Leads in Stand Up India Scheme with Rs 2,946 Crore in Loans Sanctioned for SC, ST, and Women Entrepreneurs
Bengaluru: The state of Karnataka has distinguished itself as a leading participant in the Modi Government’s Stand Up India Scheme, designed to foster entrepreneurship among Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women. Banks in Karnataka have sanctioned loans amounting to Rs 2,946.74 crore to eligible beneficiaries since 2018, providing pivotal financial assistance to first-generation entrepreneurs from marginalized communities.
The data was disclosed in a written response to an unstarred question posed by Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta in the Lok Sabha earlier today. According to the Ministry of Finance’s reply, Karnataka has facilitated a total of 13,389 new loan accounts under the Stand Up India Scheme between April 2018 and March 2025.
Since the inception of the scheme in 2016, Karnataka has witnessed the sanctioning of 16,846 loan accounts, totaling Rs 3,750.40 crore. A detailed breakdown of the sanctioned amounts by category reveals:
- SC (including women): Rs 661.10 crore across 3,108 accounts
- ST (including women): Rs 166.96 crore across 868 accounts
- Women (General category): Rs 2,922.34 crore across 12,870 accounts
Captain Chowta lauded the central government’s initiatives, emphasizing the scheme’s transformative impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He noted that the Stand Up India Scheme is instrumental in enabling access to credit for individuals previously excluded from formal financial channels. He further stated that this enhanced financial inclusion is establishing a robust foundation for self-sustaining livelihoods throughout both rural and urban regions of Karnataka.
The Stand Up India Scheme facilitates loans ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore through Scheduled Commercial Banks, specifically targeting greenfield projects in the manufacturing, services, trading, and allied agriculture sectors. The scheme aims to encourage entrepreneurship at the grassroots level, empowering individuals from underrepresented communities to establish and expand their businesses.
