Question : Which program was launched to provide financial and technical assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India?
Option 1: Make in India
Option 2: Start-Up India
Option 3: Stand-Up India
Option 4: Skill India
Correct Answer: Stand-Up India
Solution : The correct answer is (c) Stand-Up India.
Stand-Up India is a government initiative launched in 2016 to promote entrepreneurship among women, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST) by facilitating access to credit and other support systems.
Under the Stand-Up India program, banks are required to provide loans between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore to at least one woman borrower and one borrower from either the SC or ST category per bank branch. The loans can be utilized for setting up new ventures or expanding existing ones in manufacturing, services, or trading sectors. Besides providing financial support, the program also offers handholding support, knowledge, and skill development to entrepreneurs.
