The Government has taken various initiatives to promote entrepreneurship across various sections of the society including Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) across the Country including the State of Tamil Nadu. The details of the various initiatives taken by Ministries/Departments of the Government to promote entrepreneurship are as under:

1.    Department of Financial Services – Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched on 08.04.2015 to extend collateral free credit up to Rs.10 lakh by Member Lending Institutions (MLIs), i.e., Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs), Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs). Any individual, who is otherwise eligible to take a loan and has a business plan for small business enterprise can avail loan under the Scheme for income generating activities in the manufacturing, trading, service sectors including activities allied to agriculture across three loan categories, viz. Shishu (loans up to Rs. 50,000/-), Kishor (loans above Rs. 50,000/- and up to Rs. 5 lakh) and Tarun (loans above Rs. 5 lakh and up to Rs. 10 lakh). As on June 2024, a total of 48.78 crore loans have been extended under PMMY, since inception of the Scheme, out of which 5.55 crore loans have been sanctioned in the State of Tamil Nadu.

           Stand-Up India (SUI) Scheme launched on 05.04.2016 has been extended up to the year 2025. The objective of the Scheme is to facilitate loans from Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) of value between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and one Women borrower per bank branch for setting up greenfield enterprise in manufacturing, services or trading sector including activities allied to agriculture. The Stand Up India scheme has facilitated over 2.35 lakh loans to SC/ST and Women entrepreneurs across the country, out of which a total of 0.22 lakh loans have been sanctioned in the State of Tamil Nadu as on June 2024.

         The District-wise number of loans sanctioned to SC/ST entrepreneurs during last five years in the State of Tamil Nadu under PMMY and SUPI is at Annexure-I.

2.         Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) - Start-ups, Innovation & IPR Division under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has initiated various startup centric programmes/scheme to encourage the innovation led startup ecosystem to develop indigenous products in ICT domain pan India basis including startups led by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu State. These initiatives are for the promotion of startups and entrepreneurs irrespective of caste and applicable for SC and ST also. Some of the major initiatives have been elucidated here:

(i) TIDE 2.0 Scheme: Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0) Scheme was initiated in the year 2019 to promote tech entrepreneurship through financial and technical support to incubators engaged in supporting ICT startups using emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, Block-chain, Robotics etc.  The scheme aims to provide comprehensive support to tech-startups in seven thematic areas of National concern by leveraging emerging technologies. The supported thematic areas are Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Financial inclusion (including digital payments), Infrastructure and Transportation and Environment  and Clean Tech. The Scheme is being implemented through 51 incubators through a three tiered structure with an overarching objective to promote incubation activities at institutes of higher learning and premier R&D organisations. The scheme is envisaged to provide incubation support to approximately 2000 tech start-ups over a period of five years. Under TIDE 2.0 Scheme, following 6 incubation centre are functioning as TIDE 2.0 centre in the State of Tamil Nadu:

(ii)    FinBlue – FinTechCoE – FinTech Centre of Excellence set-up at Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Chennai for supporting the FinTech Start-ups with a target beneficiary of 58 startups over a period of 5 years with budget outlay of Rs. 11.13 Crore. The CoE is supported by MeitY, Government of India, Government of Tamil Nadu and STPI.

3.  Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), is implementing Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for assisting entrepreneurs in setting up of new enterprises in the non-farm sector. It aims to provide employment opportunities to traditional artisans/ rural and urban unemployed youth at their doorstep. PMEGP being a Central Sector Scheme assists General Category beneficiaries with Margin Money (MM) subsidy of 25% of the project cost in rural areas and 15% in urban areas.  For beneficiaries belonging to Special Categories such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, Minorities, Women, Ex-servicemen, Physically Handicapped, Transgenders, beneficiaries belonging to Northeastern Region, Hill and Border areas, and Aspirational Districts, the Margin Money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. The maximum cost of project is Rs. 50 lakhs in the manufacturing sector and Rs. 20 lakhs in the service sector. Also, own contribution of beneficiaries under Special Category including women is 05% and 10% for General Category beneficiaries. Since 2018-19, existing PMEGP/REGP/MUDRA enterprises are also supported based on past good performances with 2nd loan for upgradation and expansion. Under 2nd Loan, maximum project cost admissible for Margin Money (MM) subsidy under Manufacturing sector is Rs. 1.00 crore and for Service sector is Rs. 25 Lakhs. Eligible subsidy on 2nd loan for all categories is 15% of project cost (20% for NER & Hill States). Since inception i.e., FY 2008-09, more than 9.69 lakh micro enterprises have been assisted with Margin Money subsidy of more than Rs 25,500 Crore providing employment to an estimated ~79 lakh persons. Approximately, 50% of the units are set up by SC/ST/Women and 80% of the units are set up in rural area. During the next 2 years FY (2024-25 to 2025-26), Ministry has a target to set-up 1.6 lakh new enterprises with employment generation potential for 12.8 lakh persons.

The total number of PMEGP Units Assisted and estimated employment generated under SC and ST category throughout the country for the last 5 years is at Annexure-II.

The total number of PMEGP Units Assisted and estimated employment generated under SC and ST category in Tamil Nadu District-wise for the last 5 years is at Annexure-III.

4.         Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) - Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (AC&ABC) Scheme: Under the scheme, Agriculture Extension of umbrella scheme  Krishonnati Yojana of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Extension Division is implementing a Central Sector component, “Establishment of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (AC&ABC)” since April, 2002 to supplement the efforts of public extension, support agricultural development and create gainful self-employment opportunities to unemployed youths with qualification in agriculture and allied sectors. The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad is the implementing agency for Training Component and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the implementing agency for Subsidy Component of AC&ABC programme. MANAGE implement, through selected Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) under MoU with MANAGE, in various parts of the country

There is a provision of credit linked back-ended upfront composite subsidy on the bank loan availed by trained candidates under the programme. The subsidy is 44% in respect of women, SC/ST and all categories of candidates from North-Eastern and Hill States and 36% in respect of other categories. The subsidy is admissible for loans up to Rs.20 lakhs in case of individual and Rs.100 lakhs in case of Group Projects (for ventures set up by a group of 5 trained candidates).

5.         Department of Science and Technology (DST) - In order to support young innovators and entrepreneurs through NIDHI-Technology Business Incubator (TBI), NIDHI-inclusive Technology Business Incubator (iTBI) program, Department of Science and Technology (DST) has established startup incubation centres in metropolitan cities, Tier-II and Tier-III cities in various parts of the country including Tamil Nadu. Through these centres, mentoring and financial support is provided to startups for development of prototype/products in order to promote youth from Tier-II and Tier-III cities, irrespective of their social status.

6.         Ministry of Rural Development - Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), the sub-scheme under the DAY-NRLM programme supports the Self-Help Group (SHG) or their family members to set-up small enterprises in the non-farm sector. SVEP is Implemented across 31 states and UTs, with 358 project proposals approved, 235 DPRs sanctioned, and support extended to 2.98 lakh enterprises. However, the scheme does not specifically focus on the SC/ST population. The SVEP is approved in 10 Blocks in the State of Tamil Nadu. The details are as under:

The District/Block wise SC/ST entrepreneurs supported in the state of Tamil Nadu under SVEP are as under:

7.         Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) - The Government with an intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and encouraging investments launched the Startup India initiative on 16th January 2016. For attaining specific objectives, various programs are implemented by the Government under the Startup India initiative. All the steps undertaken by the Government under the initiative are inclusive and are implemented across States/Union Territories (UTs), cities, towns, and rural areas, including the State of Tamil Nadu. The details of such Government initiatives are placed as Annexure-IV.

8.    Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) that is designed to address the challenges faced by the micro enterprises and to tap the potential of groups and cooperatives in supporting the upgradation and formalization of these enterprises. The Scheme has a Capacity Building component, which envisages providing 24 Hours/ 3 Days, Food Processing EDP (Entrepreneurship Development Programme) Training for, all applicants viz individuals and Groups(SHGs/ FPOs/ Cooperatives) recommended for availing credit linked grant by District Level Committee (DLC) and 8 hours/1 day training to SHG beneficiaries of Seed Capital under PMFME scheme engaged in micro food processing. The details of SC/ST beneficiaries of Tamil Nadu State trained under this capacity building component are as under:
(i) The total number of SC and ST entrepreneurs who have got the loan sanctioned
under PMFME Scheme for setting up of processing units during the last 4 years for the state of Tamil Nadu are as under:

2. Seed Capital benefits received by SC/ST beneficiaries in Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur Districts of Tamil Nadu under the above component of the Scheme are as under:

9.         Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) through National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) has been working for the empowerment, upliftment and development of entrepreneurs including Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) across the country including the State of Tamil Nadu. The details of the initiatives taken are as under:

(i)      NIESBUD has implemented Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness of Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) Programme of MSDE for strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem across different sections of the society including marginalized population. A total number of 90 SC/ST participants have been trained through the project in Tamil Nadu. The District wise details as is under:

(ii)   NIESBUD implemented a project for creating entrepreneurial climate through Training of Trainers and Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS). The District wise details of SC/ST beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu under the project are as under:

(iii) STRIVE Project – Under the Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) project of MSDE, NIESBUD is conducting Entrepreneurship Awareness, Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Mentoring, and Handholding of trainees (and future trainers) in Industrial Training Institute (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institute (NSTIs). A total number of 456 participants have been trained under the Strive Project in Tamil Nadu. The District wise details are as under

(iv) PMJANMAN - The Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), a Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on 15^th November, 2023 at Khunti District of Jharkhand. The Mission is aimed at targeted development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) residing in 18 States including 1 Union Territory. These communities had been by and large left out of the schemes/interventions of Ministries/Departments, and therefore require multi-sectoral handholding through this Mission. The scheme focuses on 11 critical interventions related to 9 key Ministries including Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in about 22,000 villages in 200 districts. One of the key interventions in the mission is facilitating skill and vocational training in PVTG habitations, multipurpose centres, tribal hostels, training skilling, entrepreneurship developments of Van Dhan Vikas Kendra as per the suitable skills of these communities. A total number of 627 participants have been trained under the PMJANMAN Project in Tamil Nadu. The District-wise details are as under:

Annexure-I

The District-wise number of loans sanctioned to SC/ST entrepreneurs during last five years in the State of Tamil Nadu under PMMY and SUPI is

as under:

# District-wise data for some of the NBFCs/ MFIs is not available.