buisness success elites

The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs in India: Essential Government Loan Schemes to Support Your Business

India’s entrepreneurial landscape is witnessing a remarkable transformation, with women entrepreneurs emerging as powerful drivers of economic growth. The country’s socioeconomic framework is increasingly conducive to their success, thanks in large part to various government initiatives designed to support female-led businesses. One of the most critical forms of support is financial assistance, and the Indian government has introduced a range of business loan schemes specifically tailored for women. This blog provides an overview of the most prominent small business loan schemes available to women entrepreneurs in India.

Government Loan Schemes for Women Entrepreneurs

Access to finance is crucial for any business, and this is especially true for women-led MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) and startups in India. To bridge the financing gap, the Government of India has launched several loan schemes aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs. These schemes offer both personal and business loans with attractive terms to help women turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Here’s a look at some of the most notable schemes:

  1. Mudra Loan for Women

The MUDRA (Micro Units Development & Refinancing Agency) loan scheme, under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), is designed to support women entrepreneurs with debt financing. MUDRA loans come with flexible repayment options and attractive interest rates, and they do not require collateral.

  • Shishu Loan: Up to ₹50,000
  • Kishor Loan: ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakhs
  • Tarun Loan: ₹5 lakhs to ₹10 lakhs

Key Features:

  • Zero processing fees for Shishu and Kishor loans; 0.50% processing fees plus taxes for Tarun loans
  • Available for startups and MSMEs in manufacturing, trading, and services sectors
  • No collateral required
  • Repayment tenure up to 5 years
  1. Annapurna Scheme

The Annapurna Scheme provides collateral-free loans up to ₹50,000, specifically targeting women in the catering and agricultural sectors. It allows for the purchase of essential equipment and supplies. The scheme offers a repayment period of 36 months, with the first month being repayment-free.

Key Features:

  • Collateral-free loans
  • Suitable for catering and agricultural businesses
  • Interest rates determined by the financing institution
  1. Stree Shakti Yojana

The Stree Shakti Yojana, offered by the State Bank of India, provides loans up to ₹5 lakhs to self-employed women and female-led enterprises. Benefits include no security requirement for loans up to ₹5 lakhs and a 0.05% interest rate concession for loans above ₹2 lakhs.

Key Features:

  • No security required for loans up to ₹5 lakhs
  • Interest rate concession of 0.05% for loans above ₹2 lakhs
  • Available at all State Bank branches
  1. Dena Shakti Scheme

The Dena Shakti Scheme supports women entrepreneurs in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, micro-credit, and retail. Loans up to ₹20 lakhs are available, with a 0.25% interest rate concession.

Key Features:

  • Loan amounts up to ₹20 lakhs
  • Available for medium and small enterprises
  • Micro-credit loans up to ₹50,000
  1. Bharatiya Mahila Bank Business Loan

The Bharatiya Mahila Bank Business Loan (now merged with SBI) offers financing for various business needs. With loans up to ₹20 crores, this scheme caters to MSMEs and micro-credit sectors.

Key Features:

  • Loans up to ₹20 crores
  • No collateral required for loans up to ₹1 crore
  • Subcategories include Shringaar, Parvarish, and Annapurna for different business needs
  1. Mahila Udyam Nidhi Yojana

The Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme, offered by the Punjab National Bank and SIDBI, provides up to ₹10 lakhs in financing for MSMEs. This scheme is flexible, with a maximum repayment tenure of 10 years.

Key Features:

  • Loans up to ₹10 lakhs
  • Maximum repayment tenure of 10 years
  • Interest rates based on current market conditions
  1. Orient Mahila Vikas Yojana Scheme

The Orient Mahila Vikas Yojana Scheme by Oriental Bank of Commerce offers loans between ₹10 lakhs and ₹25 lakhs. It features minimal documentation requirements and a 2% concession on interest rates.

Key Features:

  • Loans between ₹10 lakhs and ₹25 lakhs
  • Minimum documentation
  • 2% concession on interest rates
  1. Cent Kalyani Scheme

The Cent Kalyani Scheme, introduced by the Central Bank of India, provides collateral-free loans with varied options like term loans, working capital loans, and overdrafts. Loans up to ₹1 crore are available.

Key Features:

  • Collateral-free loans
  • Loans up to ₹1 crore
  • Coverage by CGTMSE

Interest rates between 7.35% to 8%

  1. Udyogini Scheme

The Udyogini Scheme by the Women Development Corporation of India supports women from backward classes and illiterate backgrounds. It offers mentorship, upskilling programs, and financial support for various business sectors.

Key Features:

  • Loans up to ₹10 lakhs
  • Zero collateral required
  • Support for diverse sectors

 

Eligibility Criteria

  • Age: 18 to 65 years
  • Credit History: Zero loan defaults
  • Eligible Businesses: Self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships, joint ventures, LLPs, and partnership firms in sectors such as retail, services, manufacturing, agriculture, and MSMEs
  • Minimum Turnover: Determined by the lender

 

Advantages of Yubi’s Loans for Women Entrepreneurs

Yubi is India’s leading digital corporate debt solutions platform, offering a range of benefits for women entrepreneurs:

  • Unbiased Loan Process: Find the right business loan schemes based on eligibility criteria without bias.
  • Quick Disbursement: API-backed infrastructure ensures near-instant approval and disbursal.
  • Collateral-Free Options: Access a variety of collateral-free business loan schemes.
  • Cash Flow Stability: Reduce liquidity risks with flexible loan options.
  • Funds On-The-Go: Enjoy faster transactions and easy access to diverse debt instruments.
  • Repayment Flexibility: Choose from flexible repayment tenures ranging from 2 months to 7 years.

 

FAQs

1. What loans are available for women to start a business?

Various loans such as MSME loans, term loans, working capital loans, line of credits, and overdrafts are available from public & private banks, NBFCs, rural banks, and micro-financing institutions.

2. What loan options are there to start a small business for women?

Small business loans, micro-financing loans, and micro credits are popular options for meeting different business needs.

3. What is the best possible loan for a woman entrepreneur?

The Cent Kalyani Scheme is considered one of the best due to its CGTMSE coverage, low-interest rates, and high maximum loan amount.

4. What are the government loans for women to start a business?

Prominent government-backed schemes include MUDRA loans under PMMY, SIDBI loans, PSB Loans in 59 Minutes, and Startup India & Stand-Up India loan schemes.