Equipment Refinance Scheme — Up to ₹90L Loan for Puducherry SSI Units

The Equipment Refinance Scheme is a loan facility operated by the Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation Limited (PIPDIC), which works under Puducherry's Department of Industries & Commerce. It exists for one clear purpose: helping established Small Scale Industrial (SSI) units raise the money they need to buy plant and machinery, at a point when their own balance sheet may not comfortably stretch to the purchase.

Funding is need-based and can reach ₹90,00,000. The loan has to be tied to identifiable pieces of equipment rather than general working capital, and it can be used in several situations — moving into a new product line, upgrading an existing facility, adding production capacity, retiring worn-out machines, or installing balancing equipment to remove bottlenecks.

The borrowing route is a refinance loan, so a promoter's stake in the business stays untouched. Applications are handled end-to-end on PIPDIC's online portal, and there is no closing date to race against, so a unit can apply whenever an equipment investment becomes necessary.

• Need-based equipment loans of up to ₹90,00,000 for SSI units
• Tiered interest: 10% p.a. up to ₹25L, 11% p.a. between ₹25L and ₹50L, 12% p.a. above ₹50L
• 0.5% rate concession for units promoted by women, SC, ST or differently abled entrepreneurs
• Funds machinery purchase, modernisation, expansion, replacement of old plant and balancing equipment
• Entirely online application on the PIPDIC portal, with no fixed deadline
• Application fee: ₹100 up to ₹25L, ₹200 above ₹25L

This scheme is built for Small Scale Industrial (SSI) units that are already up and running and performing, not for first-time or early-stage ventures.

• The applicant must own an SSI unit.
• That unit must have been in operation for the last four years.
• It must have earned a profit in each of the preceding two financial years.
• It must have declared dividend in each of the preceding two financial years.
• Its repayment record must be clean — no default to any bank or institution.
• The loan has to fund identifiable equipment or machinery, for diversification into new products, modernisation, capacity expansion, replacement of old machinery, or balancing equipment.

Equipment Refinance Scheme — Up to ₹90L Loan for Puducherry SSI Units is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

Equipment Refinance Scheme — Up to ₹90L Loan for Puducherry SSI Units accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

PIPDIC sanctions need-based loans of up to ₹90,00,000 (₹90 lakh). The exact figure depends on how much the proposed equipment purchase actually requires, rather than a flat entitlement for every applicant.

Interest is charged by slab:

• 10% p.a. on loans up to ₹25 lakh
• 11% p.a. on loans between ₹25 lakh and ₹50 lakh
• 12% p.a. on loans above ₹50 lakh

Units promoted by women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or differently abled persons receive a 0.5% concession on the rate that would otherwise apply to them.

Since this is a debt product, the money is non-dilutive — promoters do not surrender any equity or ownership in return for the funding. The capital is directed at diversifying product lines, modernising infrastructure, expanding output, replacing outdated machinery, or acquiring balancing equipment.

Application fees are ₹100 for loans up to ₹25 lakh and ₹200 for loans above ₹25 lakh.

Equipment Refinance Scheme — Up to ₹90L Loan for Puducherry SSI Units is offered by Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation (PIPDIC), a government body. As a government-backed debt / loan, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India.

Every application filed through the PIPDIC portal is first screened for completeness and for whether it meets the basic eligibility conditions.

The unit's operating history and financial record are then examined closely — the four years of operation, its profit-making and dividend-declaring record over the preceding two financial years, and the promoter's repayment behaviour with banks and other institutions.

An internal committee at PIPDIC studies what the loan will actually pay for, checking that the request fits the scheme's purpose of equipment or machinery purchase for diversification, modernisation, expansion, replacement or balancing equipment.

Shortlisted applicants may go through further due diligence or an interview, where the viability of the proposal and its business potential are assessed, before the loan is finally approved.

Before you apply to Equipment Refinance Scheme — Up to ₹90L Loan for Puducherry SSI Units, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

Equipment Refinance Scheme — Up to ₹90L Loan for Puducherry SSI Units is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹90L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.