CM Yuva Udyami Scheme Boosts Youth Entrepreneurship In Uttar Pradesh, Over 40,000 Small Businesses Funded

The CM Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan is witnessing wide uptake among young entrepreneurs across Uttar Pradesh, with thousands setting up small businesses backed by interest-free and collateral-free loans. The scheme, launched in 2018 by the state’s MSME department, targets skilled and educated youth aged 21 to 40, offering financial support up to ₹5 lakh per applicant.

With over 53,000 applications approved and more than 40,000 beneficiaries funded so far, sectors such as digital marketing, cake production, tattoo studios, and solar panel installations are gaining traction. The initiative includes a 10% margin money grant and a digital transaction subsidy of up to ₹2,000 annually.

The state budget for 2024–25 has allocated ₹1,000 crore towards the program, with a target of creating 10 lakh micro-enterprises over the next ten years. The scheme is fully digitized, with applications processed via the official MSME portals.

Entrepreneurs from Kanpur, Lalitpur, Jaunpur, Etawah, and Chitrakoot have begun operations under the scheme, employing others and establishing revenue-generating units.

Notably, some beneficiaries have expressed personal gratitude to the CM, though concerns remain about the lack of structural reforms to ensure long-term sustainability beyond loan disbursal.

While the scheme’s immediate financial relief is evident, its broader impact on stable employment and industrial growth depends on continued oversight, timely support, and clarity in implementation—areas where the state’s governance record has drawn criticism in the past.

The program illustrates how targeted financial aid can enable enterprise development, but structural follow-through remains key for durable economic transformation.