Stand Up India Scheme

By Abhijit Chowdhury18 May 2026

Last Updated

July 2026 Fact Checked By: Schemewala Editorial Team

Quick Summary

Detail	Information
Scheme Name	Stand Up India Scheme
Ministry	Department of Financial Services (MoF)
Target Audience	SC, ST, and Women Entrepreneurs
Loan Amount	₹10 Lakh to ₹1 Crore
Project Type	Strictly for Greenfield (First-time) Projects

About the Scheme

Stand Up India is a massive credit initiative designed to promote entrepreneurship among the most historically underrepresented groups in business: women and the Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Every single bank branch in India is mandated to facilitate at least one Stand-Up India loan to an SC/ST borrower and at least one to a woman borrower.

High-Value Insider Info: Margin Money & The "51% Rule"

The 10% Mandatory Contribution (Hidden Rule): The bank does not fund 100% of your business. The scheme requires a margin money component of up to 15%. However, even if you manage to secure state subsidies to cover this margin, the scheme legally mandates that the borrower must bring in at least 10% of the project cost from their own pocket.
The 51% Stake Rule: What if you are a woman partnering with a man to start a private limited company? To be eligible for this loan, the SC, ST, or woman entrepreneur MUST hold at least 51% of the shareholding and controlling stake in the company.
Greenfield Only: You cannot use this loan to expand an existing 5-year-old shop. "Greenfield" means this must be your very first manufacturing, trading, or service venture.

Eligibility Criteria

SC/ST and/or women entrepreneurs, above 18 years of age.
The borrower should not be in default to any bank/financial institution.

Do not hire an agent. Apply through the official government portal:

Go to standupmitra.in.
Register your profile.
The portal allows you to apply directly to the Lead District Manager (LDM) or a specific bank branch of your choice.
Crucial Document: You MUST have a detailed, professionally drafted Project Report that outlines your business plan, machinery required, and projected cash flows. Without this, the bank manager will instantly reject the ₹1 Crore request.