Government schemes for women entrepreneurs in India.
Dedicated programmes for women-led businesses with 51%+ women shareholding — composite loans, soft loans, women-only incubators, and special-category subsidies under broader schemes like PMEGP and MUDRA.
Programmes built specifically for women
Stand-Up India mandates every Scheduled Commercial Bank branch to fund at least one woman borrower for a composite loan of ₹10 L – ₹1 Cr (greenfield enterprises only). Mahila Udyam Nidhi via SIDBI provides soft loans up to ₹10 L specifically for women setting up or scaling small-scale industries.
WE Hub Telangana is India's first state-led women-only incubator, sector-agnostic, with mentorship and grants. The expanded VC Fund for SC / ST Entrepreneurs includes a ₹2,000 Cr term loan window for first-time SC / ST women entrepreneurs.
Preference rates and concessions across broader schemes
MUDRA offers a 0.25% interest concession for women borrowers and ~67% of MUDRA loans go to women. PMEGP margin-money subsidy is 25% (urban) / 35% (rural) for women applicants, vs 15% / 25% for general category. State programmes like MP Startup Policy report 47% women-led participation; TANSEED in Tamil Nadu reports 50% women-led startups.
Schemes that apply
12 schemes
DPIIT Startup India Recognition
The gateway credential. Itself free, but unlocks 80-IAC tax holiday, IP fee rebates, labour self-cert, GeM access, SISFS eligibility. First filing post-incorporation.
MUDRA — Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana
Collateral-free working-capital ladder. 4 tiers from Shishu (≤₹50K) to Tarun Plus (₹10-20L). 8-12% p.a., 0.25% concession for women. ~67% of loans go to women.
Stand-Up India
Composite loan ₹10 L–₹1 Cr for SC/ST and women first-time entrepreneurs. Each SCB branch mandated to fund at least one SC/ST and one woman borrower. 7-yr tenure, 18-mo moratorium.
PMEGP — PM's Employment Generation Programme
New-unit setup loan with 15-35% margin money subsidy. Special category (women, SC/ST, OBC, NER, hilly) gets 25% urban / 35% rural. Works for shops, manufacturing, services.
Udyam Registration
Free, online MSME credential. De facto mandatory for accessing CGTMSE, PMEGP, public procurement, delayed-payment protection. File alongside DPIIT.
ZED Certification
Quality certification for MSMEs with subsidized fees. Useful for manufacturing exports and government procurement positioning.
TANSEED + iTNT Hub
TANSEED 6.0: ₹10-15 L grant. iTNT Hub: up to ₹50 L for R&D-heavy DeepTech. ₹100 Cr Co-creation Fund. 12,000+ startups (50% women-led).
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM)
Tiered grants: idea (₹3-5 L), MVP (₹5-7 L), market acceleration (₹10-15 L). Virtual incubation. NRI-friendly.
MP Startup Policy 2025
₹100 Cr seed capital fund. Grants up to ₹30 L + interest subsidies + subsistence allowance.
VC Fund for SC/ST Entrepreneurs
IFCI Venture-managed ₹500 Cr corpus, expanded with ₹2,000 Cr term loan window for first-time SC/ST women entrepreneurs.
Mahila Udyam Nidhi
Soft loan up to ₹10 L specifically for women starting / scaling small-scale industries or service businesses. Concessional rates, longer repayment.
WE Hub — Women Entrepreneurs Hub
First state-led women-only incubator in India. Sector-agnostic.
Frequently asked questions
What qualifies as a women-led business for Indian government schemes?+
Generally, 51% or more shareholding held by women and at least one woman in a managerial position. Specific schemes may have stricter or looser definitions — Stand-Up India requires the woman to be the sole proprietor or hold 51%+ of the partnership / company.
What is the maximum loan amount under Stand-Up India for women?+
Composite loans (term loan + working capital) of ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for greenfield enterprises in manufacturing, services, or trading. 7-year tenure including 18-month moratorium. Available through every SCB branch — the branch is mandated to fund at least one woman borrower.
Does MUDRA offer special rates for women entrepreneurs?+
Yes. A 0.25% interest rate concession is offered for women borrowers across the three tiers (Shishu, Kishore, Tarun, Tarun Plus). Historically about 67% of MUDRA loans by count are availed by women, partly because Shishu loans (≤₹50K) are heavily women-led.
Are women entrepreneurs eligible for DPIIT Startup India Recognition?+
Yes — DPIIT recognition is granted to entities meeting the age, turnover, and originality criteria. Founder gender is not a criterion. Once recognised, women-led startups can apply for Section 80-IAC tax holiday, SISFS, CGSS, FFS, and SIPP.