The Centre is planning to launch a “Stand-up India” drive to promote entrepreneurship among women, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, according to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

He was speaking here on Sunday at the inaugural of the three-day Partnership Summit jointly hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the State Government.

Jaitley said the Start-up India drive launched by the Centre had received tremendous response and “now we are planning a Stand-up India drive.” He explained to the audience that the programme envisaged special assistance to women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to promote entrepreneurship.

He said each bank branch in the country would have to give at least one loan to a woman, and SC and ST entrepreneur to set up units. “There are 1.5 lakh branches in the country and we are sure the programme will make a big impact as the Mudra loan scheme did,” he said.