Mahila Udyam Nidhi
Soft loan up to ₹10 L specifically for women starting / scaling small-scale industries or service businesses. Concessional rates, longer repayment.
Quick facts
- Ministry / Agency
- SIDBI
- Funding
- Up to ₹10 L
- Stage
- ideation, mvp
- Sector
- Any sector
- Equity dilution
- none
- DPIIT recognition required
- No
- NRI / OCI eligibility
- Yes — NRI and OCI founders are eligible to apply.
Who is eligible
Women entrepreneurs in small-scale industries / services
How to apply
Mahila Udyam Nidhi is administered by SIDBI. Applications are submitted through the official portal — there are no application fees and you do not need to go through third-party intermediaries.
Apply on the official portalRelated schemes
Other schemes that often pair with Mahila Udyam Nidhi or apply to a similar profile.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for Mahila Udyam Nidhi?+
Women entrepreneurs in small-scale industries / services
What is the funding amount under Mahila Udyam Nidhi?+
Up to ₹10 L. Soft loan up to ₹10 lakh
Can NRI or OCI founders apply for Mahila Udyam Nidhi?+
Yes — NRI and OCI founders are eligible to apply.
Does Mahila Udyam Nidhi require DPIIT recognition?+
No — DPIIT recognition is not required for Mahila Udyam Nidhi.
How do I apply for Mahila Udyam Nidhi?+
Apply through the official portal at sidbi.in. The scheme is administered by SIDBI.
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