Lok Sabha Question No. 306 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: Support for Young Entrepreneurs from SC Communities
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Shri Putta Mahesh Kumar

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.306 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2025

## SUPPORT FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS FROM SC COMMUNITIES

## 306. SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY: SHRI PUTTA MAHESH KUMAR:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of schemes introduced, in effect and presently functioning under the Central Government for supporting young entrepreneurs belonging to SC communities in the country;
- (b) the details regarding the total number of beneficiaries of such schemes during the last five years, scheme, State and district-wise in Andhra Pradesh and in Prakasam District;
- (c) the details regarding the various training initiatives and mentoring programmes carried out by the Government for young entrepreneurs belonging to SC communities under this scheme during the such period, State and district-wise in Andhra Pradesh and especially in Prakasam District; and
- (d) whether the Government has taken any activities/campaigns to raise awareness of such schemes/programmes that the Government has introduced for the benefit of young entrepreneurs belonging to SC communities, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a): The Govt. of India launched a Venture Capital Fund Scheme for Scheduled Caste (VCFSC) in 2015. The Scheme is being implemented by IFCI Venture Capital Ltd. with the objective of promoting entrepreneurship in India among the Scheduled Castes by providing concessional finance to them. Further, within the VCF-SC Scheme, Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission(ASIIM) was launched on 30th September 2020 with the aim to promote innovation among SC students, researcher, and those working in Technology Business Incubators (TBIs), Atal Incubation Centers (AIC), etc.
- (b): The details of the total number of beneficiaries of VCF-SC Scheme-District-wise in the state of Andhra Pradesh are as below: -

| Year                        | District                    | Number of Beneficiaries   | (Amount Disbursed (Rs Cr)   |
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 2019                        | Visakhapatnam               |                           |                             |
| 2019                        | Nellore                     |                           | 3.57                        |
| 2020                        | Visakhapatnam               |                           |                             |
| 2021                        |                             |                           | :                           |
| 2022                        | Visakhapatnam               | i                         | 6.16                        |
| 2023                        | Visakhapatnam               |                           | 4.33                        |
| 2024                        | -                           | -                         | -                           |
| 2025 (till date) None TOTAL | 2025 (till date) None TOTAL | 5                         | 14.06                       |

There are no beneficiaries from Prakasam District and no beneficiaries under ASIIM in Andhra Pradesh.

- (c): IFCI Venture Capital Ltd. offers a mentorship program through its online portal 'AyeMentor, for SC entrepreneurs seeking support for growth from experienced mentors across various industries. Since the program's launch in April 2022, six mentorship sessions have been conducted by three different mentors, based on requests from SC entrepreneurs in Andhra Pradesh. This programme is not organized State wise or District wise.
- (d): IFCI Venture Capital Ltd. has been conducting various marketing, promotional, and awareness activities for the VCF-SC Scheme (including ASIIM). These activities include organizing webinars, distributing scheme brochures to prospective entrepreneurs and sending promotional bulk messages to a database of entrepreneurs obtained from the National SC&ST Hub, Technology Business Incubators, Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others. The brochures have been translated into Telugu to enhance reach and understanding of the scheme among the Telugu-speaking SC population in Andhra Pradesh.

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