Uttar Pradesh Tops Stand-Up India Loan Disbursal: Public Banks Lead With ₹2,965 Crore Support To SC, ST & Women Entrepreneurs

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top-performing state under the Stand-Up India scheme, with public sector banks playing a crucial role in disbursing loans to new entrepreneurs. Launched to support Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women in starting businesses, the scheme offers loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore.

Public Sector Banks Drive Growth

As of 2025, public sector banks in the state have approved 24,811 loans, with 17,845 beneficiaries receiving financial support worth ₹2,965 crore. Lucknow ranks first among districts, both at the state and zonal level, with 1,291 beneficiaries receiving loans worth `242.23 crore out of 2,024 approved cases.

Agra and Kanpur Nagar follow closely

In contrast, private and regional rural banks have lagged behind. Out of 2,178 approved applications, rural banks have disbursed loans to only 1,873 beneficiaries, while private banks have sanctioned loans for just 493 out of 1,633 eligible applicants. Overall, of the 33,640 targeted cases, 28,625 have been approved but only 20,214 loans have been disbursed.

New Sectors, Revised Subsidy

In 2025, the Finance Ministry introduced key changes to the scheme revising subsidy reducing it from 25% to 15%, and adding new sectors including Sericulture, beekeeping, agri-business, and food processing units.

Experts Call for Private Sector Push

Uttar Pradesh’s performance reflects effective implementation and growing grassroots entrepreneurship. However, experts suggest that increasing private sector participation could further enhance the scheme’s reach and impact.