The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has highlighted how access to credit under the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation Self-Employment Scheme can help women from low-income families move away from financial dependence. The case study of Suji K.P. from Wayanad district in Kerala shows how the scheme works in practice and what borrowers can achieve.
How the scheme helped Suji
Suji, who belongs to the OBC Hindu Thiyya community, had tailoring skills but could not start her own business because her family lacked the money to buy equipment and materials. Banks rejected her loan applications because she had no personal income and her household had limited resources. In 2023, after learning about the scheme through an awareness programme run by the Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation, Suji received a loan of ₹3,00,000 under the NBCFDC Self-Employment Scheme.
With this money, she set up a tailoring unit. She later added photocopy and lamination services to diversify her income. Today, Suji earns approximately ₹15,000 per month from her enterprise. This represents a complete shift from her earlier position when she had no independent income and depended entirely on her husband’s earnings.
What this means for you
If you are a woman from an economically backward community or caste with a skill or business idea but facing rejection from conventional banks, the NBCFDC Self-Employment Scheme may offer a path forward. The scheme recognizes that skills alone do not guarantee a livelihood when access to capital is the barrier. Awareness programmes, often run through state backward classes corporations, can help you understand what financial assistance is available and how to apply.