Self-Employment Scheme for SC/ST — Loans up to ₹7L in Uttarakhand — Frequently Asked Questions

A selected beneficiary receives a package of three components. The main one is a project loan of ₹20,000 to ₹7,00,000, disbursed through a nationalised bank. On top of it, the state gives a subsidy equal to 50% of the project cost, subject to a maximum of ₹10,000. The third component is margin money covering 25% of the project cost, charged at a concessional 4% annual rate of interest.

You must belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community and be living below the poverty line. Your annual income must not exceed ₹15,975 in a rural area or ₹21,206 in an urban area. You should not be a defaulter of any bank or financial institution, and you must not have taken a subsidy from any government scheme before. If your venture is in the transport sector, a commercial driving licence is required.

The scheme supports micro-enterprises across agriculture, services, business and transport. Illustrative examples include poultry farming, animal husbandry and beekeeping, automobile workshops, beauty parlours, repair shops and driving schools, retail outlets such as departmental stores, dhabas and sweet shops, light manufacturing like brick making and furniture production, and auto-taxi services.

No. The scheme runs on a rolling basis, so applications are accepted round the year and there is no fixed last date to submit your form.

Neither DPIIT nor MSME registration appears among the conditions listed for this scheme. The eligibility check runs on community status, living below the poverty line, the rural or urban income ceiling, a clean record with banks, no earlier government subsidy, and a commercial driving licence for transport ventures.

No. The support is structured as a bank project loan, a government subsidy and margin money at 4% interest. There is no equity component, so no stake is taken in your venture and your ownership is not diluted.

The application guidelines call for proof of identity, proof of address, a caste certificate, an income certificate, a BPL card and a project report, along with any licences or permits your particular venture needs. Copies are to be self-attested where the guidelines say so.

The process is entirely offline. Download the PDF application form from the Social Welfare Department's website, fill in all mandatory personal, financial and project-related details, attach the supporting documents and submit the signed set to the designated local official for your area — typically the Village Development Officer, the Assistant Social Welfare Officer or the Block Development Officer. No application fee is mentioned, and the form is free to download.

It depends on where you live. In rural areas, beneficiaries are chosen at open meetings held in the Gram Sabha. In urban areas, selection happens through an interview. Your submitted documents go through verification before this selection stage.

No. Having availed a subsidy from any government scheme earlier is a disqualifying condition for this scheme, so applicants with a past government subsidy on record are not eligible.

Self-Employment Scheme for SC/ST — Loans up to ₹7L in Uttarakhand is offered by Social Welfare Department, Government of Uttarakhand, a government body. It is provided as non-dilutive funding.