As on 29.10.2021, 21.52 crore loans have been extended to women borrowers by Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) since inception of the Scheme. This was stated by Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

The Minister further stated that this constitutes approx. 68% of the total loans extended under PMMY. State/UT-wise details on PMMY beneficiaries (including for women) available in the Annexure.

Giving more information, the Minister stated that as per the existing guidelines, any individual who is otherwise eligible to take loan and has a business plan for non-farm income generating activities in sectors such as manufacturing, trading, services and activities allied to agriculture and whose credit need is up to ₹ 10 lakh is eligible to avail credit under the Scheme.

Eligibility for PMMY loans emphasises business plan based credit access for non farm entrepreneurs, with majority borrowers being women. The release reports that approximately sixty eight percent of loans under the national microcredit scheme have been extended to women borrowers and that State/UT wise beneficiary details are provided in an annexure. It reiterates that any otherwise eligible individual with a business plan for non farm income generating activities in manufacturing, trading, services or agriculture allied sectors may avail credit under the Scheme, subject to the Scheme's upper credit limit per borrower, with member lending institutions administering disbursements.