Q. What is NSFDC?
A. ‘NSFDC’ stands for National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation. It was set up by the Government of India under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MOSJ&E) in 8th February, 1989 under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 as a company 'not for profit'.

Q. What is the Contact Address of NSFDC?
A. NSFDC has its Head Office at Delhi and its full address and contact number is :-
National Scheduled Castes Finance And Development Corporation
14th Floor, SCOPE Minar, Core 1 & 2, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi – 110 092
Tele: 011-22054392, 22054394, 22054396.
Fax: 011-22054395 E-mail : nsfdc@ bol.net.in
Website : www.nsfdc.nic.in
It has five Zonal Offices at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengluru, Lukhnow and Guwahati.

Q. Why was it established?
A. It was established to finance for the economic empowerment of persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes families living below Double the Poverty Line including their skill upgradation.

Q. What is it's Mission?
A. Fighting poverty and Stigma through Entrepreneurship.

Q. What is the main objective of NSFDC?
A. NSFDC's main objective is to finance, facilitate and mobilize funds for the economic empowerment of persons belonging to the Scheduled Caste families living below Double the Poverty Line.

Q. Does NSFDC provide loans to all Scheduled Castes persons?
A. No, NSFDC provides loans only to economically poor sections of Scheduled Castes whose annual family income is below Double the Poverty Line limit (i.e. upto Rs 40,000/- for rural areas and upto Rs 55,000/- for urban areas).

Q. Is eligibility for loan based on caste and economic criteria alone?
A. Yes, but apart from caste and economic criteria, applicant must have practical experience or skill and entrepreneurial ability in concerned field so that they can utilize loan properly, and make their business a success.

Q. Is priority given to women in loan schemes?
A. Yes, out of funds notionally allocated on the basis of SC population, 40% of the total funds have been allocated for women both in physical and financial terms. Interest rebate of 1% is available to women beneficiaries in certain schemes i.e. they are charged 4% or 5% p.a. interest.

Q. Is there is any separate loan scheme for women?
A. Yes, There are two exclusive schemes for women beneficiaries i.e. Mahila Samriddhi Yojana and Mahila Kisan Yojana

Q. How does NSFDC provide loan?
A. NSFDC provides loan for income generating scheme to target group through State channelizing Agencies.

Q. For which activities do NSFDC provides loans?
A. NSFDC provides loans for income generating activities in Agriculture and other allied, industrial and service sector & for professional/ Technical education.

Q. What are the different types of loan schemes of NSFDC?
A. NSFDC has following Loan Schemes: 
(i) Term Loan, (ii) Micro Credit Finance, (iii) Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, (iv) Mahila Kisan Yojana (v) Shilpi Samriddhi Yojana (vi) Educational Loan Scheme.

Q. What are the activities for which Term loan is provided?
A. Some indicative schemes for which Term loan is provided:-

Q. What are the activities for which Micro Credit Finance is provided?
A. Some indicative schemes for which Micro Credit Finance are provided:-

Q. What are the activities for which Mahila Samriddhi Yojana loan is provided?
A. Some indicative schemes for which Mahila Samriddhi Yojana are provided:-

Q. What are the activities for which Mahila Kisan Yojana loan is provided?
A. Mahila Kisan Yojana loans are provided exclusively to rural women beneficiaries for undertaking schemes in Agriculture and/or Mixed Farming activities such as Vegetable growing, Floriculture, Dairy, Poultry, any other farming activities etc.

Q. What are the eligibility criteria of Mahila Kisan Yojana?
A. In Mahila Kisan Yojana, land should be in the name of women beneficiary or joint name with her husband. If the agriculture land is only in the name of husband then he should not be the beneficiary of NSFDC, and he should not have any objection to his spouse taking up any economic activity on that land.

Q. If anyone has agricultural land but doesn't have irrigation facilities then can he/she get loan for irrigation?
A. Yes, loans can be availed for irrigation implements such as Bore well, Sprinkler, drip etc for irrigation on purpose on unirrigated farmland.

Q. How much amount of loan can be availed in these Schemes and what is interest rate?
A. In the following tables cost of project, amount of loan and interest rate of in these schemes are shown below:-

Q. Do applicants have invest their own capital also?
A. In order to ensure applicant's stake in the project, the applicant is expected to invest his share in the Term Loan Scheme. Norm's for promotor's contribution in Term Loan are as under:-

Q. Does repayment of installments start just after disbursement of loan?
A. No, the principal repayment does not start immediately after disbursement. This facility is extended to beneficiariesy to give them time to stabilize themselves in the business. Generally, principal repayment starts after a moratorium period of 6 to 9 month based on type/nature of business. However, repayment of interest starts soon after disbursement and there is no moratorium on repayment of intrest.

Q. What is repayment period?
A. Scheme-wise repayment period is as follows:-

Q. Can multiple loans be taken from NSFDC?
A. Status for availing second time loan:-

Q. What is eligibility for Shilpi Samriddhi Yojana?
A. This loan is specially given to Scheduled Castes Artisans possessing Artisan Identity Card issued by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India or any Government authority for making of craft items.

Q. What is the procedure to apply for NSFDC loan?
A. The applicants should contact the SCAs if they wish to avail NSFDCs loans. The SCAs have officers in every District/Region. The applicants are required to submit application in NSFDC's format with details of business and copies of caste, income, experience at the district office. Offices of these agencies exist in every district where details of business and caste, family income, professional experience and documents related to activity are to be filled in NSFDC's format and submitted at the District Office. Name and contact numbers of State-wise SCAs is given at the end of FAQ.

Q. Does NSFDC provide loan for Passenger/Goods Vehicles also?
A. Yes, under service sector NSFDC provides loan for different types of vehicles such as Autorikshaw, Jeep, Car, Taxi, Tractor, Pic-up Van, small commercial vehicle, Mini buses etc. These loans are given only for applicant's self driving. Commercial driving license, permit must be in the name of applicants for these loans. One person is given loan for one vehicle only. Beneficiary can select model of vehicle as per their choice.

Q. Can a beneficiary chose the schemes of his/her preference?
A. Yes, beneficiary can select scheme according to his choice. They have to keep in mind their skill, efficiency, local needs, infrastructure while selecting the business activity.

Q. For which Educational courses the Educational Loan is provided by NSFDC ?
A. Educational Loans are provided for pursuing full time professional/technical courses, so after completing it can be getting any good job/self-employment.

Q. For which professional/technical courses does NSFDC provide Educational Loans?
A. The Educational Loan is provided for the courses run by the recognized Educational Institutions. Presently it is provided for pursuing following full time professional/technical courses:-

1. Full time Professional/Technical courses in the fields of Engineering, Medical, Dental, Management, Information Technology, Hotel Management, Architecture, Physiotherapy, Bio-Technology, Law, Education, Journalism etc.
2. Professional courses like CA/ICWA/CS/AMIE/FIA/IETE.
3. Higher education like Doctoral Studies leading to M.Phil/PhD from recognized institutions.

Q. What does NSFDC do apart from giving loan?
A. Apart from giving loan, NSFDC provides Skill and Entrepreneurial training in emerging areas through reputed Government Institutions to educated unemployed youths of the target group. NSFDC gives 100% grant through State Chennalising Agencies to Training Institutes for these programmes.

Q. Is any stipend givent to trainees in these training programme?
A. Yes, During the training Programmes, stipend @ Rs 1,000/- per month is paid to each trainee to enable them to meet their incidental expenses.

Q. In which area Skill training is provided?
A. Presently Skill training is provided in the following areas:-

Q. For which professional/technical courses does NSFDC provide Educational Loans?
A.

Q. What type of facilities is provided to beneficiaries after skill training?
A. Placement assistance is provided to the beneficiaries after skill training by the respective Training Institution. Also trainees who would like to setup their own ventures, they are provide free entrepreneurial guidance and the procedure to apply for the loan schemes of NSFDC is informed to them.

Q. What is the procedure to get skill training sponsored through NSFDC?
A. Information as Skill Training Programmes is published in local newspaper from time to time. The Skill Development Training Institution offering NSFDC sponsored skill training programmes have a well-defined selection procedure. For more information, State Channelizing Agencies of NSFDC, whose name and phone numbers are given at the end of this FAQ, may be contacted.

Q. In case there is a complaint, if any, regarding NSFDC's loan who do we contact?
A. In case of any complaint regarding NSFDC loans, the following officer may be contact following:-
Public redressal Officer, Public Redressal Cell, NSFDC, HO, Delhi Chairman cum Managing Director, NSFDC, HO, Delhi.