Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises addresses Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 80 regarding the National SCST Hub (NSSH) Scheme. The scheme promotes SC/ST entrepreneurship and facilitates the mandated 4% procurement from SC/ST MSEs. As of June 2025, the scheme has supported beneficiaries through various initiatives, including financial assistance, training, and market linkages.
Key Points / Main Content:
NSSH Scheme Objectives and Eligibility:
* Promotes entrepreneurship amongst SC/STs.
* Facilitates meeting the 4% procurement mandate from SC/ST MSEs.
* Provides subsidy up to Rs. 25 lakh via Special Credit Linked Capital subsidy.
* Offers skilling, capacity building, and market linkage programs.
* Covers testing charges and membership fees for Export Promotion Councils and Government e-commerce portals.
* Eligibility requires the entrepreneur to be SC/ST.
* For partnerships, SC/ST partners must hold at least 51% shares; for private limited companies, SC/ST promoters must hold at least 51% of shares.
Beneficiary Statistics (as of June 2025):
* 145,200 SC/ST beneficiaries have been facilitated through various NSSH activities.
* 44,097 SC/ST candidates trained under capacity building programs.
* 1,418 beneficiaries from Chhattisgarh.
* 34 beneficiaries from Shahdol district.
* 287 beneficiaries from Palghar district.
* Specific beneficiary numbers from Rajsamand, Nathdwara, and Kumbhalgarh (10), Bhim, Beawar, Jaitaran, Nagaur Degana (310) and Merta.
Awareness and Outreach:
* Conclaves, vendor development programs, and awareness workshops are organized nationwide.
* Events held in regions with significant SC/ST populations.
* Key stakeholders provide information on schemes and offer on-the-spot support.
* Social media is actively used for publicity.
* Success stories and guidelines shared in regional languages.
National SCST Hub Offices:
* 15 NSSHOs are functioning across the country.
* Locations include Agra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bodhgaya, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune, Ranchi, Sindhudurg, and Surat.
* NSSHO Bengaluru provides support to SC/ST entrepreneurs in Karnataka.
Impact Analysis:
SC/ST Entrepreneurs:
* Impact: Benefit from financial assistance, training, and market access to establish and grow their businesses.
* Action Required: Meet eligibility criteria, apply for relevant schemes, and participate in training programs.
Government and Implementing Agencies:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing the NSSH scheme, organizing awareness programs, and monitoring progress.
* Action Required: Conduct awareness campaigns, provide support through NSSHOs, and ensure effective implementation of the scheme.
CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises) & Industry Associations:
* Impact: Opportunity to engage with SC/ST MSEs and contribute to the procurement targets.
* Action Required: Participate in vendor development programs, source products/services from SC/ST MSEs, and support their integration into the supply chain.
Key Entities Referenced
Karnataka: A state in Southern India, where National SCST Hub Offices NSSHO Bengaluru provides support to SCST entrepreneurs.
National SCST Hub Scheme: A scheme by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to promote entrepreneurship amongst Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and laws relating to micro, small and medium enterprises in India.
Scheduled Castes: A group of historically disadvantaged communities in India, recognized by the government for specific protections and affirmative action measures.
Scheduled Tribes: A group of historically disadvantaged indigenous communities in India, recognized by the government for specific protections and affirmative action measures.
Chhattisgarh: A state in Central India, specifically mentioned in the context of the number of beneficiaries from the National SCST Hub Scheme.
Maharashtra: A state in Western India, specifically Palghar district is mentioned in the context of the number of beneficiaries from the National SCST Hub Scheme.
Rajasthan: A state in Northern India, where initiatives are taken under the scheme for beneficiaries in Rajsamand, Nathdwara, Kumbhalgarh, Bhim, Beawar, Jaitaran, Merta City and Degana.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *80
TO BE ANSWERED ON: 24.07.2025
NATIONAL SC-ST HUB SCHEME
*80. SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:
SHRI MADHAVANENI RAGHUNANDAN RAO:
Will the Minister of MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:
(a) the details and eligibility criteria laid down under the National SC-ST Hub Scheme being
implemented by the Government;
(b) the total number of beneficiaries from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes category extended
assistance and imparted training till June, 2025, State-wise including Chhattisgarh, Shahdol Lok Sabha
Constituency and Palghar district, Maharashtra;
(c) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to spread awareness about the said scheme
among the entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes category, if so, the details thereof
and if not, the reasons therefor;
(d) the initiative taken by the Government under the scheme for beneficiaries in Rajsamand,
Nathdwara, Kumbhalgarh, Bhim, Beawar, Jaitaran, Merta City and Degana in Rajasthan; and
(e) whether the Government has set up National SC-ST Hub Offices in various States in the country,
particularly in Karnataka and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
(SHRI JITAN RAM MANJHI)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE PARTS (a) to (e) of LOK SABHASTARRED
QUESTION NO. *80 FOR ANSWER ON 24.07.2025
(a): The National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub (NSSH) scheme seeks to promote
entrepreneurship amongst the SCs/STs and to facilitate fulfilment of the mandated 4% procurement from
SC/ST Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) under the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small
Enterprises. To achieve this objective, several steps have been taken up, such as subsidy upto Rs. 25 lakh
through Special Credit Linked Capital subsidy on institutional finance for procurement of Plant &
Machinery; skilling and capacity building programs; market linkages through Special Market Assistance
Scheme; and to enhance competitiveness, testing charges, membership fee of Export Promotion Councils
and Government promoted e-commerce portals are provided.
To avail the benefit of NSSH Scheme, entrepreneur should be a SC/ST. Further, in the case of
proprietary MSE, the proprietor shall be SC/ST; in the case of partnership MSE, the SC/ST partners shall
be holding at least 51% shares of the unit and in the case of private limited companies, at least 51% of
shares shall be held by SC/ST promoters.
(b): The NSSH Scheme has facilitated 1,45,200 SC/ST beneficiaries through its various activities till
June 2025. State/UT-wise number of SC/ST beneficiaries is enclosed at Annexure-I. Further, under the
capacity building programme 44097 SC/ST candidates have been trained till June 2025. State/UT-wise
details are enclosed at Annexure-II.
A total of 1418 SC/ST beneficiaries from Chhattisgarh have availed benefit of NSSH Scheme. 34
SC/ST beneficiaries from Shahdol district and 287 SC/ST beneficiaries from Palghar district have availed
the benefits of various components of the scheme.
(c) and (d): To spread awareness about NSSH Scheme, conclaves, vendor development programmes
and awareness workshops are organized at various locations in the country including Rajasthan. These
events are organised in places/regions where SC/ST population is significant. In the event, all key
stakeholders including financial institutions, CPSEs, industry associations, Government e-Market (GeM),
Udyam Registration and other Government departments/bodies create awareness about their
schemes/initiatives and provide on spot handholding support to the participants.
To create publicity and wider dissemination, particularly focusing on the intended audience, the
scheme actively use social media platforms. Success stories and Scheme guidelines’ are shared in
regional languages for greater awareness.: 2 :
The number of SC/ST entrepreneurs availed benefit under the scheme from Rajsamand, Nathdwara,
Kumbhalgarh, Bhim, Beawar, Jaitaran, Merta City and Degana are as under:
District City No. of beneficiaries
Rajsamand Nathdwara
Kumbhalgarh 10
Bhim
Beawar Jaitaran -
Nagaur Degana
Merta 310
(e): To extend handholding support, 15 National SC-ST Hub Offices (NSSHOs) are functioning across
the country; i.e. at Agra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bodhgaya,
Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune, Ranchi, Sindhudurg, and Surat. For Karnataka, NSSHO Bengaluru
provides support to SC/ST entrepreneurs.
*****Annexure-I
Annexure-I referred to part (b) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *80 for answer on 24.07.2025
STATE/UT-WISE NUMBER OF SC/ST BENEFICIARIES UNDER NSSH SCHEME
TILL JUNE 2025
S. No. State/UT No. beneficiaries
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 30
2. Andhra Pradesh 2856
3. Arunachal Pradesh 853
4. Assam 7752
5. Bihar 2917
6. Chandigarh 104
7. Chhattisgarh 1418
8. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 32
9. Delhi 3357
10. Goa 21
11. Gujarat 7304
12. Haryana 1702
13. Himachal Pradesh 1190
14. Jammu and Kashmir 227
15. Jharkhand 7644
16. Karnataka 11786
17. Kerala 780
18. Ladakh 8
19. Lakshadweep 2
20. Madhya Pradesh 5068
21. Maharashtra 20569
22. Manipur 963
23. Meghalaya 771
24. Mizoram 513
25. Nagaland 1686
26. Odisha 6170
27. Puducherry 213
28. Punjab 5447
29. Rajasthan 341730. Sikkim 157
31. Tamil Nadu 11747
32. Telangana 6317
33. Tripura 644
34. Uttar Pradesh 22547
35. Uttarakhand 1132
36. West Bengal 7856
Grand Total 145200Annexure-II
Annexure-II referred to part (b) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *80 for answer on 24.07.2025
STATE/UT-WISE NUMBER OF SC/ST CANDIDATES TRAINED UNDER CAPACITY
BUILDING PROGRAMME OF NSSH SCHEME TILL JUNE 2025
S. No. State/UT No. of beneficiaries
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 30
2. Andhra Pradesh 2001
3. Arunachal Pradesh 315
4. Assam 3697
5. Bihar 889
6. Chandigarh 4
7. Chhattisgarh 1211
8. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and 15
Daman and Diu
9. Delhi 519
10. Goa 1
11. Gujarat 2191
12. Haryana 572
13. Himachal Pradesh 244
14. Jammu and Kashmir 197
15. Jharkhand 1106
16. Karnataka 337
17. Kerala 457
18. Madhya Pradesh 3968
19. Maharashtra 5170
20. Manipur 289
21. Meghalaya 420
22. Mizoram 37
23. Nagaland 1108
24. Odisha 1320
25. Puducherry 16
26. Punjab 1624
27. Rajasthan 935
28. Sikkim 2
29. Tamil Nadu 105130. Telangana 4271
31. Tripura 518
32. Uttar Pradesh 7958
33. Uttarakhand 899
34. West Bengal 725
Grand Total 44097