Government schemes for women in Kerala: what's paying now

Also called Sthree Suraksha Pension, Sthree Suraksha Padhathi, Women's Security Scheme, Mukhyamanthriyude Sthree Suraksha Padhathi

₹1,000 a month

A monthly ₹1,000 for poorer women and trans women aged 35 to 60 who get no other welfare pension. Only families with a yellow ration card (Antyodaya, the poorest) or a pink ration card (priority household) qualify.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: launched 11 Feb 2026 and paid until 16 Mar 2026; the new UDF government told the Assembly on 22 Jun 2026 that no decision has been taken and payments are on hold until the beneficiary list is re-checked.

Who can apply

• Women, including trans women, aged 35 to 60
• Family holds a yellow (AAY) or pink (PHH, priority) ration card
• Not a beneficiary of any other existing social security scheme or welfare pension
• Permanent resident of Kerala

Documents

• Aadhaar
• Ration card (yellow or pink)
• Bank account details
• Photo
• Proof of age (uploaded on K-SMART)
• Mobile number for OTP

How to apply

1. Log in to K-SMART as a Citizen with your mobile number and OTP (register first if new)
2. Click Apply, then Sthree Suraksha Scheme, then Application for Sthree Suraksha Pension
3. Choose your local body, enter Aadhaar number and name exactly as on Aadhaar, click Validate and accept consent
4. Check ration card details, add address, job details and bank account, upload documents and photo
5. Fill eligibility details, preview, confirm with OTP and save the acknowledgment

In person: Akshaya centre (service fee capped at ₹40) or your Grama Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation office

Run by

Local Self Government Department (applications on K-SMART), paid through Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd

Do not count on this money right now. Only two payments reached women (Feb and Mar 2026). The government says it will re-check the list before paying again, and it has not said when. If you were on the list, keep your ration card and bank details unchanged.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Budget Speech 2026-27 (29 Jan 2026), para 8, Sthree Suraksha citizen user manual (K-SMART), Will UDF implement LDF's Sthree Suraksha pension? CM does not answer either way (29 Jun 2026), CM Satheesan bamboozled by flurry of social welfare posers in Assembly (22 Jun 2026), Kerala Budget Analysis 2026-27 (revised budget, 19 Jun 2026), Sthree Suraksha: Govt caps Akshaya centre service fee at ₹40 (5 Jan 2026)

Also called Vidhava pension, widow and divorced women pension, IGNWPS Kerala, Sevana pension

₹2,000 a month

A monthly pension for poor widows, women whose husbands have been missing over 7 years, and divorced or deserted women who have not remarried. Family income must be ₹1 lakh a year or less.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: paying; the September 2026 social security pension round started on 24 Sep 2026 for about 51.9 lakh people.

Who can apply

• Widow, or woman whose husband has been missing for more than 7 years, or woman over 50 deserted for more than 7 years, and not remarried
• Annual family income not more than ₹1,00,000
• Not an income tax payer and not a service or family pensioner
• Owns not more than two acres of land (does not apply to Scheduled Tribes) and a house not over 2,000 sq ft
• Living in Kerala continuously for at least 2 years
• Not getting another social welfare pension

Documents

• Ration card or income certificate from the Village Office
• Husband's death certificate (or proof he is missing, or of divorce)
• Aadhaar
• Bank passbook
• Proof of age and residence

How to apply

1. Fill the prescribed form and give it to the Secretary of your Grama Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation
2. An enquiry is done within one month
3. The local body decides within one month after the enquiry
4. If rejected, appeal to the District Collector within one month

In person: Grama Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation office where you live; Akshaya centre can help

Run by

Local Self Government Department; paid through Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd

You must do the yearly mustering (life certificate check) or the pension stops. The UDF promised ₹3,000 but as of September 2026 it is still ₹2,000.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Criteria for allotting Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension (FAQ), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, Kerala sanctions ₹982.69 crore for September social security pensions (23 Sep 2026) · Official page to apply

Also called Avivahitha pension, spinster pension Kerala

₹2,000 a month

A monthly pension for women over 50 who never married, have no one to look after them, and whose family income is ₹1 lakh a year or less.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: paying as part of the monthly social security pensions (September 2026 round started 24 Sep 2026).

Who can apply

• Age above 50
• Unmarried
• Annual family income ₹1,00,000 or less
• No one to look after her
• Not getting another social welfare pension

Documents

• Proof of age
• Income certificate or ration card
• Aadhaar
• Bank passbook

How to apply

1. Give the prescribed form to the Secretary of your Grama Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation
2. Attend the local enquiry
3. Do yearly mustering once approved

In person: Your local body office; Akshaya centre can help

Run by

Local Self Government Department; paid through Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd

Checked 1 October 2026 against Pension to Unmarried Women above 50 years, Unmarried Women above 50 years · Official page to apply

Also called Thozhilillaima vethanam, unemployment dole Kerala

₹120 a month

A very small monthly dole for long-registered jobseekers aged up to 35 from very low-income families. Open to men and women.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: still listed by the Employment Department at ₹120 a month; no change found in the January or June 2026 budgets.

Who can apply

• Registered with a Kerala employment exchange with 3 years of registration seniority after turning 18
• Upper age limit 35
• SSLC pass (general category)
• Annual family income up to ₹12,000; own income not above ₹100 a month

Documents

• Employment exchange registration card
• SSLC certificate
• Income certificate
• Bank details

How to apply

1. Get the prescribed form from your local body
2. Submit it to the Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation at any time
3. The welfare standing committee verifies and sanctions or rejects

In person: Grama Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation office

Run by

Employment Department; paid by Grama Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations

₹120 a month is tiny and the ₹12,000 family income limit is so low that few families qualify. The real value of registering is job seniority and access to SARANYA, not this dole.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Unemployment Allowance Scheme (seen via search snippet; site refused connection) · Official page to apply

Also called employment registration, eemployment Kerala, employment card renewal, special renewal

Free registration that gives seniority for temporary government vacancies and is needed for SARANYA, Kaivalya and the unemployment allowance

Registering with the employment exchange puts you on the list for temporary government posts filled through exchanges, and is required for several women's self-employment schemes. It is free and can be done online.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: portal live; a Special Renewal window lets people whose registration lapsed (renewals due 10/2024 to 06/2026) restore it until 31 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Jobseekers in Kerala

Documents

• Original certificates proving age
• Educational qualification and experience certificates
• Community (caste) certificate if applicable
• Proof of address

How to apply

1. Register online on eemployment.kerala.gov.in (24x7)
2. Within 90 days, visit your employment exchange with all original certificates to get it verified, or you lose seniority from the online date
3. Renew every 3 years, in the renewal month or the next 2 months (SC/ST: within one year); renewal can be done online
4. Add new qualifications online and show originals within 90 days
5. If your registration lapsed, use the Special Renewal option on the home page before 31 Oct 2026

In person: Town or District Employment Exchange

Run by

Directorate of Employment, Labour and Skills Department

Missing the 90-day visit or the renewal month is the most common way women lose years of seniority. Set a reminder.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Employment@KERALA portal home (Special Renewal notice, helplines), Help (90-day verification; seen via search snippet), Registration Renewal (3-year renewal; seen via search snippet) · Official page to apply

Also called PM Internship Yojana, PMIS 9000 stipend, pminternship

₹9,000 a month (minimum, subject to attendance) plus a one-time joining grant of ₹6,000

A paid internship in a large company for young people aged 18 to 25 who are not in a full-time job. Since April 2026 final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students can also apply with a college NOC.

Status

Round 3 of the pilot is running in 2026 with companies posting internships on an ongoing basis (PIB, 22 Apr and 21 May 2026). Checked 1 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Indian youth aged 18 to 25 years
• Not in full-time employment
• Final-year UG and PG students may apply with a No Objection Certificate from their institution
• Applicants must meet the other existing eligibility criteria of the scheme

Documents

• Aadhaar
• Aadhaar-linked bank account
• College NOC (final-year students only)

How to apply

1. Register on the PMIS portal or app with Aadhaar
2. Fill your profile and pick internships
3. Accept an offer if selected

In person: Helpline 1800 11 6090

Run by

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Still a pilot. The 2024 pilot rules excluded anyone whose family member earned over ₹8 lakh a year, had a government job, or who held degrees such as CA, MBA, MBBS or from IITs and IIMs; check the current rules on the portal.

Checked 1 October 2026 against MCA expands eligibility of PMIS to final-year students (22 Apr 2026), PMIS: MY Bharat awareness campaign, ₹9,000 plus ₹6,000 joining grant (21 May 2026), A Pathway to Professional Growth: PM's Internship Scheme (pilot rules, Oct 2024) · Official page to apply

Also called NCS job portal, Jobs for Women, employment exchange online, ncs.gov.in

Free job search, job fairs, career counselling and a 'Jobs for Women' section

The government's free job portal for private and government jobs, job fairs and career guidance. It has a 'Jobs for Women' link on the home page and connects to e-Shram and Skill India.

Status

Running in 2026; over 6.02 crore jobseekers and 8.17 crore vacancies as of 20 Nov 2025 (PIB, 4 Dec 2025). Checked 1 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Any jobseeker in India

How to apply

1. Open ncs.gov.in and sign up as a Jobseeker
2. Complete your profile and open 'Jobs for Women' or search jobs
3. e-Shram card holders can register using their UAN

In person: District Employment Exchange / Model Career Centre

Run by

Ministry of Labour and Employment (Directorate General of Employment)

NCS never charges a fee at any stage. Anyone asking for money in NCS's name is a fraud. Many listings are low-paid, so check the employer.

Checked 1 October 2026 against National Career Service home page ('Jobs for Women', 'NCS services are free of cost'), Over 6 crore jobseekers registered on NCS (4 Dec 2025) · Official page to apply

Also called eShram, e Shram card, shramik card, UAN card

Free e-Shram card with a Universal Account Number (UAN) that links you to 14 central welfare schemes, NCS jobs, Skill India and the PM-SYM pension (₹3,000 a month from age 60 if you join between 18 and 40)

A free ID card for informal workers such as domestic workers, home-based workers, farm labourers and vendors. It does not pay money by itself, but makes it easier to reach insurance, pension, housing and job schemes.

Status

Registration open and free; over 31.48 crore workers registered by 26 Jan 2026 (PIB, 2 Feb 2026). Checked 1 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Unorganised workers aged 16 to 59: home-based, self-employed or wage workers in the unorganised sector
• Not a member of EPFO or ESIC

Documents

• Aadhaar number
• Aadhaar-linked mobile number (or biometric at a CSC)

How to apply

1. Self-register on eshram.gov.in or the e-Shram app with Aadhaar and OTP
2. Or go to a Common Service Centre (it must not charge you)
3. Download the card and use the One-Stop-Solution page to see linked schemes

In person: Common Service Centre (CSC) or State Sewa Kendra

Run by

Ministry of Labour and Employment

The card has no cash benefit of its own; messages promising money 'on your e-Shram card' are not from the government. Registration is totally free.

Checked 1 October 2026 against e-SHRAM cards for unorganised workers (2 Feb 2026), e-Shram FAQs (age 16 to 59, free registration), Benefits under e-Shram card (PM-SYM pension) · Official page to apply

Also called KKEM, DWMS Connect, Job Connect app, My Job My Pride, Ente Thozhil Ente Abhimanam, Back to Career

Free job matching, career counselling, English and personality training, work readiness programme and job fairs, including fairs for women after a career break

A free state job platform for educated jobseekers. Register once to get matched to jobs, free training and job fairs; Kudumbashree community ambassadors help women register.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: portal live with 2026 notices; free registration for jobseekers.

Who can apply

• Educated jobseekers in Kerala, including women on a career break

Documents

• Mobile number
• Education certificates
• Resume details

How to apply

1. Register on knowledgemission.kerala.gov.in or the Job Connect app
2. Complete your profile and the career survey
3. Join free trainings and apply to job fairs shown in your account

In person: Kudumbashree community ambassador at your Grama Panchayat

Run by

Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission (K-DISC), with Kudumbashree

Registering does not mean you will be offered a job; most jobs listed are in the private sector.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Digital Workforce Management System, Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission, Kudumbashree and KKEM (My Job My Pride), Kudumbashree to become part of the efforts to identify job seekers · Official page to apply

Also called Saranya loan, Saranya self employment scheme

Interest-free loan up to ₹50,000, of which 50% (up to ₹25,000) is a government subsidy you do not repay

An interest-free loan with half written off to help widows, divorced, deserted and unmarried women and some single mothers start a small business. No security needed; repay in 60 monthly instalments.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: listed as a running scheme on the Employment Department site; applications at employment exchanges.

Who can apply

• Unemployed widows, divorced women, deserted women, unmarried women above 30, and unwed mothers of Scheduled Tribes
• Registered on the live register of a Kerala employment exchange
• Age 18 to 55 (age limit does not apply to unmarried women)
• Annual family income not above ₹1,00,000

Documents

• Application form (free at the employment exchange)
• Detailed project report
• Income certificate from the Village Officer
• Employment exchange registration card
• Proof of widowhood, divorce or desertion as applicable

How to apply

1. Get the free form at the employment exchange where you are registered
2. Prepare a simple project report for your business
3. Submit with the income certificate
4. The loan goes straight to your bank account

In person: Your Town or District Employment Exchange

Run by

Employment Department, Government of Kerala

₹50,000 is small for most businesses today. Joint ventures are allowed, and each partner can get her own loan and subsidy.

Checked 1 October 2026 against SARANYA: Self Employment Scheme for the Destitute Women (seen via search snippet; site refused connection), SARANYA · Official page to apply

Also called KSWDC loan, Vanitha Vikasana Corporation loan, NMDFC loan Kerala, NBCFDC loan women, Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, Small Loan Scheme

Loans from ₹50,000 up to ₹5 lakh (KSWDC General Scheme, 8% interest) and higher amounts under national corporation lines, for example up to ₹30 lakh for minority women at 6%

Low-interest business loans for women in Kerala. Which line you get depends on your community and family income; the corporation also lends to women's self-help groups for small loans.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: schemes and online application (Mithrasoft) live on kswdc.org; no 2026-dated changes found.

Who can apply

• Women aged 18 to 60 (General Scheme) or 18 to 55 (most national corporation lines and Small Loan Scheme)
• General Scheme: family income up to ₹8 lakh a year; ₹5 lakh at 8%, repay in 5 years
• Small Loan Scheme: up to ₹50,000, family income up to ₹1,20,000
• Backward classes (NBCFDC): up to ₹1.25 lakh at 7%, or ₹1.25 to 25 lakh at 8%, income up to ₹3 lakh
• Minorities (NMDFC): up to ₹20 lakh (income up to ₹3 lakh) or ₹30 lakh (income ₹3 to 8 lakh) at 6%
• Scheduled Castes (NSFDC): ₹1.25 to 45 lakh at 8%; Scheduled Tribes (NSTFDC AMSY): up to ₹2 lakh at 4%
• Micro finance through SHGs/CDS: up to ₹1 lakh per woman at 5 to 8% depending on community

Documents

• Aadhaar
• Income certificate
• Community certificate (for community-based lines)
• Project report
• Security as required by KSWDC

How to apply

1. Pick the loan line that fits your community and income on kswdc.org
2. Apply online on Mithrasoft
3. Submit documents and project report to the KSWDC regional office
4. Loan is sanctioned after verification

In person: KSWDC head office Thiruvananthapuram or regional offices

Run by

Kerala State Women's Development Corporation (KSWDC)

These are loans, not grants: interest is 4 to 8% and you need security for larger amounts. Check the exact line for your community before applying.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Loan Schemes, KSWDC home and contacts · Official page to apply

Also called Vanitha Mithra, NORKA women returnee loan

Business loan up to ₹30 lakh, with capital subsidy of 15% (up to ₹3 lakh) and 3% interest subsidy for the first 4 years

For women who worked or lived abroad for at least two years and have come back to Kerala, to start a business with a large loan and part of the cost paid by NORKA.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: listed on kswdc.org loan schemes page.

Who can apply

• Women who have worked or stayed abroad for at least two years (returned emigrants)

Documents

• Passport with stay abroad proof
• Aadhaar
• Project report

How to apply

1. Check eligibility on kswdc.org
2. Apply on Mithrasoft or at a KSWDC office
3. Subsidy is processed through NORKA after the loan

In person: KSWDC offices

Run by

KSWDC with NORKA Roots

Checked 1 October 2026 against Loan Schemes: NORKA Vanitha Mithra · Official page to apply

Also called SMILE KSWDC

Loan up to ₹5 lakh with a 20% subsidy (up to ₹1 lakh) for prompt repayment

A business loan for women aged 18 to 55 whose family's main earner died of COVID-19.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: still listed on kswdc.org with an application form; no closing date shown.

Who can apply

• Women aged 18 to 55
• Dependants of a person who died of COVID-19

Documents

• COVID-19 death proof of the family member
• Aadhaar
• Project report

How to apply

1. Download the SMILE form from kswdc.org or apply on Mithrasoft
2. Submit at a KSWDC office

In person: KSWDC offices

Run by

Government of Kerala and KSWDC

For loans up to ₹1 lakh a stamped receipt is enough security.

Checked 1 October 2026 against SMILE Scheme · Official page to apply

Also called Kudumbashree loan, Ayalkoottam loan, linkage loan, NHG loan

Collateral-free bank loans through your neighbourhood group; state interest subvention so you pay about 4% on loans up to ₹3 lakh

Join a Kudumbashree neighbourhood group (NHG), save small amounts weekly, borrow from the group, and once the group is rated, get bank loans without collateral at a subsidised interest rate.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: running; NHGs have mobilised over ₹50,000 crore in linkage loans.

Who can apply

• Adult women; one member per family in an NHG of 10 to 20 neighbours
• Women aged 18 to 40 can also join Auxiliary Groups (more than one per family allowed)

Documents

• Aadhaar
• Bank account
• NHG membership

How to apply

1. Ask your ward's ADS or CDS member to join a local NHG
2. Attend weekly meetings and save regularly
3. After the NHG is graded, the group applies to a bank for a linkage loan

In person: Kudumbashree CDS office at your Grama Panchayat or Municipality

Run by

Kudumbashree State Poverty Eradication Mission

Bank linkage needs the group to be rated first (NABARD 15-point check), so a brand new member usually waits some months.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Micro Finance, NHG membership · Official page to apply

Also called RME, Yuvashree, Kudumbashree sambrambham

Start-up subsidy of ₹10,000 per member or 50% of cost for group enterprises, ₹7,500 or 30% for individual ones; revolving fund up to ₹35,000 after 6 months; technology and second-dose funds

Help for Kudumbashree women to start and grow small businesses alone or in groups: subsidy on project cost, training, working capital and marketing through Kudumbashree outlets.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: running; the Jan 2026 budget gave ₹22.27 crore for Kudumbashree product marketing and distribution.

Who can apply

• Kudumbashree NHG members
• RME: women aged 18 to 55
• Group enterprises of 5 to 10 women or individual women

Documents

• NHG membership
• Project report
• Aadhaar
• Bank account

How to apply

1. Talk to your CDS Micro Enterprise Consultant
2. Attend Entrepreneurship Development training
3. Submit project through the CDS for subsidy and bank loan

In person: Kudumbashree CDS office or District Mission office

Run by

Kudumbashree State Poverty Eradication Mission

Kudumbashree's own pages give slightly different figures for the individual subsidy (30% or one third of cost). Confirm with your CDS.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Micro Enterprises FAQ, Micro Enterprises, Budget Speech 2026-27 (29 Jan 2026), para 188 · Official page to apply

Also called KSUM women, WE Start, WE Grow, Women Productization Grant, KSUM soft loan for women

Grants up to ₹12 lakh for women-led startups and a working-capital soft loan up to ₹15 lakh at 6% simple interest

For women building tech or innovation startups: free pre-incubation (WE Start), incubation (WE Grow), product grants and a soft loan.

Status

Checked 1 Oct 2026: programmes listed on KSUM site; WE Start cohort 3 opened January 2026.

Who can apply

• Women-led (and transgender-led) startups registered with KSUM

Documents

• KSUM startup registration
• Company documents
• Project or work order details (for soft loan)

How to apply

1. Register your startup on the KSUM portal
2. Apply to the open programme or grant call

In person: Kerala Startup Mission, Technopark or regional hubs

Run by

Kerala Startup Mission

Meant for startups (tech or innovative products), not small shops or tailoring units; for those, use Kudumbashree or KSWDC.

Checked 1 October 2026 against Women Startup Ecosystem @ KSUM, Soft Loan Scheme for Women Entrepreneurs · Official page to apply

Also called Mudra loan, PM Mudra, Shishu Kishor Tarun loan, Tarun Plus

Business loan without collateral up to ₹20 lakh: Shishu up to ₹50,000, Kishor ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh, Tarun ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh, Tarun Plus ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh

A loan from a bank or other lender to start or grow a small non-farm business, with no property needed as security. It is open to men and women; about 60% of Mudra loan accounts in 2024-25 belonged to women.

Status

Running in 2026: PIB reported loans disbursed to 27 March 2026 and the scheme completed 11 years on 8 April 2026. Checked 1 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Non-corporate, non-farm micro and small enterprises in manufacturing, trading, services and activities allied to agriculture
• Shishu loans are open to new entrepreneurs with no credit history or collateral
• Tarun Plus (₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh) is only for borrowers who took and fully repaid a Tarun loan

How to apply

1. Go to any bank branch, small finance bank, NBFC or microfinance lender, or apply online on the JanSamarth portal
2. Ask for a loan under PMMY and choose the category that fits the amount
3. Never pay an agent or a 'processing fee' to anyone outside the lender: MUDRA Ltd does not give loans directly

In person: Any bank branch or registered NBFC / microfinance lender

Run by

Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance (through banks, NBFCs and MFIs; MUDRA Ltd refinances)

MUDRA Ltd itself never lends to individuals. PIB Fact Check has flagged fake 'Mudra loan approval letters' asking for fees almost every month from 2024 to September 2026. The loan must be repaid with the bank's normal interest; there is no subsidy.

Checked 1 October 2026 against 11 Years of Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (8 Apr 2026), PMMY loan limit raised to ₹20 lakh (Tarun Plus), PIB Fact Check: fake website onlinemudraindia.co.in (19 Mar 2026), Mudra FAQ · Official page to apply

Also called PMEGP loan, KVIC loan subsidy, margin money subsidy

Subsidy of 25% to 35% of the project cost on a bank loan for a new unit (women: 35% in villages, 25% in towns); project cost up to ₹50 lakh (manufacturing) or ₹20 lakh (service)

Helps a person start a new small factory or service unit outside farming. The bank gives the loan and the government pays part of the project cost as a one-time subsidy. Women count as a special category, so they get the higher subsidy and put in only 5% of their own money.

Status

Portal open and scheme active in 2026 (PIB, 12 Mar 2026). Its last Cabinet approval ran to 2025-26; a formal 2026-27 extension notice was not found. Checked 1 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Any individual above 18 years of age
• No income ceiling
• At least VIII standard pass for projects above ₹10 lakh in manufacturing or above ₹5 lakh in business/service
• Only one person per family (self, spouse, unmarried children)
• Existing units, and units that already took a government subsidy under another scheme, are not eligible
• Projects without capital expenditure are not eligible

Documents

• Aadhaar

How to apply

1. Apply online on the PMEGP portal (New Application)
2. Pick KVIC, KVIB or DIC as the agency and choose a bank
3. Complete the short EDP training (not needed for projects up to ₹2 lakh)
4. The bank sanctions the loan and the subsidy is routed through the bank

In person: District Industries Centre (DIC) or KVIC / KVIB office

Run by

Ministry of MSME (KVIC, State KVIBs and District Industries Centres)

It is a subsidy on a bank loan, not a grant: you must get a bank loan and put in 5% (special category) or 10% (general) yourself.

Checked 1 October 2026 against PMEGP FAQ (eligibility), Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (subsidy rates, women as special category), Initiatives to strengthen rural and semi-urban MSMEs (12 Mar 2026), Continuation of PMEGP 2021-22 to 2025-26 · Official page to apply

Also called Lakhpati Didi Yojana, Aajeevika, NRLM SHG loan, self help group

Through your self-help group: a Revolving Fund of about ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per group, up to ₹2.5 lakh per group from the Community Investment Fund, bank loans with interest subvention (loans up to ₹3 lakh at 7%), a ₹5,000 Jan-Dhan overdraft, and free livelihood and enterprise training

Rural women join a self-help group (SHG) of neighbours, save together and get group funds, cheap bank loans and training to build a business or farm income. A 'Lakhpati Didi' is an SHG member whose household earns over ₹1 lakh a year.

Status

Active in 2026: over 3 crore Lakhpati Didis reached; target doubled to 6 crore by March 2029 (PIB, 13 Feb 2026). Checked 1 Oct 2026.

Who can apply

• Rural women who join a DAY-NRLM self-help group
• To be picked as a potential Lakhpati Didi: SHG member for at least two years, has used the Community Investment Fund, and runs at least two livelihood activities

How to apply

1. Ask the village SHG, Village Organisation or Community Resource Person to join a group
2. Save regularly in the group and keep records
3. Ask the block mission office about training and loans for your activity

In person: Block office of the State Rural Livelihoods Mission, or the Gram Panchayat

Run by

Ministry of Rural Development

There is no direct cash payment to become a Lakhpati Didi. Money comes as group funds and loans that must be repaid. Interest subvention rates vary by district.

Checked 1 October 2026 against How do I become a Lakhpati Didi, Financial Assistance, Doubling of target of Lakhpati Didis to 6 crore (13 Feb 2026), National Campaign on Entrepreneurship: EDP training for 50 lakh SHG members (14 Jan 2026) · Official page to apply