Saranya Self Employment Scheme for Destitute Women Saranya
An interest-free loan of up to ₹50,000, half of it written off as a subsidy, for widows, divorced or deserted women and other women without support who are registered at an employment exchange.
Last updated on
- Cost to apply
- Free
- Status
- Open
- Run by
- National Employment Service (Kerala), Department of Labour and Skills, through the employment exchanges
What you get
- Interest-free loan up to ₹50,000
- 50% of the loan is a government subsidy, up to ₹25,000
- No security is needed
- Repay in 60 monthly instalments
- A running venture that has repaid at least half the loan can get a further loan of up to 80% of the first one at a nominal rate (Employment Department page)
- Women forming a joint venture each get the full loan and subsidy (Employment Department page)
Who can apply
- New businesses, or people about to start one.
- Nano enterprises.
- Only for women and widows.
- Age 18 to 55.
- The most on offer is ₹50,000.
- Registered at an employment exchange in Kerala
- Widows, divorced or deserted women, unmarried women over 30, unmarried mothers from Scheduled Tribes, women with disabilities and wives of bedridden patients
- Aged 18 to 55, the lower limit does not apply to unmarried women over 30
- Annual family income up to ₹1 lakh
How to apply
- Submit the Saranya application at your employment exchange with a project report and an income certificate
- The District Employment Officer sends it to a committee chaired by the District Collector
- Once approved, the loan is paid and repaid in 60 instalments
In person, the employment exchange where you are registered
In Kerala, the employment exchange where you are registered, then a bank or co-operative bank for the loan
Documents to keep ready
- Saranya application form
- Project report
- Income certificate
Figures you may see elsewhere
A 2024 Kerala Institute of Labour and Employment study mentions ₹80,000 for Saranya. The official district page and most sources give ₹50,000.
Worth knowing
The Employment Department still listed it in 2026.
Where we found this
- District Employment Exchange, Kannur district website, last updated 14 February 2020 (external site) Official
- Strategy for formation of 1 lakh enterprises in 2022, Booklet 3, popular subsidy schemes, Directorate of Industries and Commerce (external site) Official
- SARANYA, Employment Department (external site) Official
An independent guide by The Company of Four, not a government website. Schemes change often, so check every detail on the official website before you apply. Links marked ↗ open external websites that we do not run, and we are not responsible for their content. Seen something out of date? Tell us and we will look into it.