
Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)
Karnataka State Women Development Corporation
Department of Women & Child Development & Empowerment of Differently Abled & Senior Citizens, Government of Karnataka
Karnataka state corporation under the Women & Child Development department, running self-employment schemes for women and specific groups of women.
KSWDC at a glance
| Full name | Karnataka State Women Development Corporation |
|---|---|
| Part of | Department of Women & Child Development & Empowerment of Differently Abled & Senior Citizens, Government of Karnataka |
| Established | 1987 |
| Address | Karnataka Pradesh Krishik Samaj, No.18, Krishi Bhavan, 2nd floor, Nrupatunga Road, Bengaluru-560 001 |
| Programmes | 9 standing programmes |
| Official website | kswdc.karnataka.gov.in |
| kswdc-md@karnataka.gov.in |
Which KSWDC programme fits you
9 programmes compared by who they are for, the stage they accept, how long they run and what they cost.
| Programme | Best for | Stage | Duration | Format | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhanashree | Women aged 18 to 60 living with HIV, who want to start an income-generating activity | — | — | — | — |
| Chetana Scheme | Female sex workers aged 18 and above who want to start an income-generating activity | — | — | — | — |
| Rehabilitation of Ex-Devadasi Women | Ex-Devadasi women in the 15 scheme districts, listed in the Government of Karnataka surveys of 1993-94 and 2007-08 | — | — | — | — |
| Rehabilitation Programme for Transgender Persons | Transgender persons who are Karnataka residents and want to start an income-generating activity | — | — | — | — |
| UdyoginiWith Banks | Women aged 18 to 55 from economically weaker sections who want to start a business or service activity with a bank loan | — | — | — | — |
| Interest Subsidy through Karnataka State Financial CorporationWith Karnataka State Financial Corporation (KSFC) | Women entrepreneurs taking a KSFC loan for a medium or large scale industry | — | — | — | — |
| Gelathi SchemeWith Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited | Acid attack survivors above 18 who want to self-employ | — | — | — | — |
| Women Training Programme | Economically backward women who want skill training for self-employment | — | — | — | — |
| Gruhalakshmi Digital Marketing | Women entrepreneurs who want to sell their products online | — | — | — | — |
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC), separate from the funding calls above.
The corporation's schemes run in yearly windows through district committees, not as open-ended cohorts. Check the scheme page for the current year before you apply.
Dhanashree
Grant schemeA direct incentive for women living with HIV to start an income-generating activity.
Best for: Women aged 18 to 60 living with HIV, who want to start an income-generating activity
- Grant support for selected startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Dhanashree supports women aged 18 to 60 who are infected or affected by HIV. The incentive is paid straight into the beneficiary's bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer, to take up an income-generating activity.
What you get
- A direct incentive for an income-generating activity
- Payment by Direct Benefit Transfer into your bank account
Who can apply
- Women aged 18 to 60 who are infected or affected by HIV
- Permanent residents of Karnataka
- A medical certificate from an ICTC or ART centre, or an ART card
How selection works: A district committee chooses eligible beneficiaries.
How to apply: Applications go through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres.
Chetana Scheme
Grant schemeA direct incentive for female sex workers to start an income-generating activity.
Best for: Female sex workers aged 18 and above who want to start an income-generating activity
- Grant support for selected startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The Chetana scheme aims to help women leave their existing path and lead a dignified, independent life. The state provides a subsidy to eligible women, paid directly to their bank account, so they can take up an income-generating activity.
What you get
- A subsidy for an income-generating activity
- Payment directly into your bank account
Who can apply
- Women aged 18 and above who are permanent residents of Karnataka
- A certificate or identity card from a government-registered NGO working on rehabilitation of sex workers in the district
How selection works: A district committee chooses eligible beneficiaries.
How to apply: Applications go through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres.
Rehabilitation of Ex-Devadasi Women
Grant schemeA direct incentive for ex-Devadasi women, alongside awareness and health camps, in 15 districts.
Best for: Ex-Devadasi women in the 15 scheme districts, listed in the Government of Karnataka surveys of 1993-94 and 2007-08
- Grant support for selected startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
This scheme works to help ex-Devadasi women become financially independent. It runs in 15 districts of Karnataka. The corporation pays an incentive directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts for income-generating activities such as animal husbandry or a small shop. Awareness, legal and health camps also run in these districts.
What you get
- A direct incentive for an income-generating activity
- Awareness, legal and health camps in the scheme districts
Who can apply
- Permanent residents of Karnataka who are ex-Devadasi women
- Women whose names appear in the Government of Karnataka surveys of 1993-94 and 2007-08
- The scheme document sets an age floor of above 45 years; the web page does not state one
How selection works: A district committee chooses eligible beneficiaries.
How to apply: Applications go through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres. For details, contact the Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development or the Development Inspector of the district.
Rehabilitation Programme for Transgender Persons
Grant schemeA direct incentive for transgender persons to start an income-generating activity.
Best for: Transgender persons who are Karnataka residents and want to start an income-generating activity
- Grant support for selected startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The state provides a subsidy to transgender persons, paid directly to their bank accounts, so they can take up income-generating activities and become self-employed.
What you get
- A subsidy for an income-generating activity
- Payment directly into your bank account
Who can apply
- Permanent residents of Karnataka who are transgender persons
- An identity card for transgender persons issued by the Deputy Commissioner, or a certificate from a government-registered NGO or community-based organisation identified by the Deputy Commissioner, or a notarised self-declaration
How selection works: A district committee chooses eligible beneficiaries.
How to apply: Applications go through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres.
Udyogini
Subsidy or reimbursementA subsidy on a bank loan for women who want to start a business or service activity.
Best for: Women aged 18 to 55 from economically weaker sections who want to start a business or service activity with a bank loan
With Banks
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Udyogini helps women from economically weaker sections become self-employed. The woman takes a loan from a bank for her activity, and the corporation provides a subsidy on that loan. The subsidy rate is higher for SC and ST women.
What you get
- A subsidy on a bank loan for a business or service activity
- A higher subsidy rate for SC and ST women
Who can apply
- Women aged 18 to 55 who are permanent residents of Karnataka
- Women from economically weaker sections who want to be self-employed in business or service
- An income and caste certificate from the Tahsildar, within the income limits for your category
How selection works: A selection committee chaired by the MLA of the relevant Assembly Constituency chooses beneficiaries, according to the scheme document.
How to apply: Applications go through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres. Subsidy is released to the bank branch after the bank sanctions the loan.
Interest Subsidy through Karnataka State Financial Corporation
Subsidy or reimbursementAn interest subsidy for women entrepreneurs who take a medium or large industry loan through KSFC.
Best for: Women entrepreneurs taking a KSFC loan for a medium or large scale industry
With Karnataka State Financial Corporation (KSFC)
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Women who want to take up medium and large scale industries can borrow through Karnataka State Financial Corporation (KSFC). The corporation gives these women an interest subsidy on that loan for five years.
What you get
- An interest subsidy for five years on a KSFC loan
Who can apply
- Women who are eligible and interested in medium and large scale industries
How selection works: The page does not describe a selection process.
How to apply: The page does not describe an application route; the loan is arranged through KSFC.
Gelathi Scheme
LoanAn interest-free loan with a part subsidy for acid attack survivors who want to self-employ.
Best for: Acid attack survivors above 18 who want to self-employ
With Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The Gelathi scheme helps acid attack survivors return to mainstream society through self-employment. Each beneficiary receives an interest-free loan together with a subsidy, or a loan and subsidy split of the unit cost, based on the project report. Housing is provided through Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited.
What you get
- An interest-free loan
- A subsidy alongside the loan
- Housing support through Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited
Who can apply
- Acid attack victims above 18 years of age who are permanent residents of Karnataka
- A UDID card, FIR, pension certificate or medical certificate that records acid attack
How to apply: Submit a project report, an Aadhaar-linked bank account and a loan agreement attested on stamp paper, with the documents above.
Women Training Programme
ProgrammeSkill training for economically backward women, under Karnataka's Mukhyamantri Kaushalya Karnataka guidelines.
Best for: Economically backward women who want skill training for self-employment
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The corporation runs skill development training for economically backward women. The aim is to build productivity, marketing skills and financial independence, under the guidelines of the Mukhyamantri Kaushalya Karnataka Scheme.
What you get
- Skill development training in sectors such as dairy farming, tailoring, documentation and data entry, field technician work, and computer hardware and networking
Who can apply
- Economically backward women in Karnataka
How to apply: Contact the Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development or the Development Inspector of the corporation in your district.
Gruhalakshmi Digital Marketing
PlatformAn online platform where women entrepreneurs can market their products across Karnataka and beyond.
Best for: Women entrepreneurs who want to sell their products online
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Gruhalakshmi Digital Marketing is a digital platform that gives women entrepreneurs a way to sell their products online. It is meant to reach customers across the state and outside it, and so widen the market for products made by women.
Who can apply
- Women entrepreneurs who make products they want to sell online
How to apply: Register on the Gruhalakshmi Digital Marketing portal. For questions, contact the District Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development, or the District Development Inspector of the corporation.
How to apply to Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)
Choosing the right scheme
- Start from who you are. Most schemes are for one group: women living with HIV, ex-Devadasi women, transgender persons, female sex workers, or acid attack survivors.
- For a business or service start-up, look at Udyogini (a subsidy on a bank loan, for women aged 18 to 55) and the interest subsidy scheme for women entrepreneurs in medium and large industries.
- For a skills course, look at the Women Training Programme.
How applications work
- Apply through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres.
- The 2026-27 application window closes on 31 October 2026 at 5:30 pm.
- Keep these ready: Aadhaar card, residential proof (residential certificate, voter ID or ration card), a project report for the activity, and a bank account seeded with Aadhaar.
Documents by scheme
- HIV scheme: a medical certificate from an ICTC or ART centre, or an ART card.
- Transgender scheme: an identity card issued by the Deputy Commissioner, or a certificate from a government-registered NGO or community-based organisation, or a notarised self-declaration.
- Chetana scheme: a certificate or ID from a government-registered NGO working on rehabilitation of sex workers in the district.
- Udyogini: an income and caste certificate from the Tahsildar.
- Gelathi scheme: a UDID card, FIR, pension certificate or medical certificate that records acid attack, and a loan agreement on stamp paper.
How selection works
- Incentive schemes are decided by a district committee.
- The pages and the scheme document name different officers as the committee head, so confirm with the district office which one applies to you.
About Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)
Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation is a Government of Karnataka body based in Bengaluru. It was registered in 1987 under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, and works under the state's Department of Women & Child Development and Empowerment of Differently Abled & Senior Citizens. Its stated aim is to uplift the weaker sections and backward classes of women, mainly through incentives, bank-loan subsidies and training for self-employment.
Who it supports
Most of its schemes are for women who want to become self-employed or start a small business or service activity. Several are for specific groups: women living with HIV, ex-Devadasi women, transgender persons, female sex workers and acid attack survivors. The Udyogini scheme and the interest subsidy through Karnataka State Financial Corporation are for women starting a business or service. Eligibility, age limits and income limits differ from scheme to scheme, and most schemes require Karnataka residence.
The corporation's objectives also include helping women take bank and financial-institution loans, promoting marketing for women entrepreneurs, strengthening women's self-help groups and running skill training.
Schemes
The corporation runs several kinds of support, and they work differently:
Incentive schemes pay a direct incentive into the beneficiary's bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer, for an income-generating activity. These are the Dhanashree scheme for women aged 18 to 60 living with HIV, the Chetana scheme for female sex workers aged 18 and above, the rehabilitation scheme for ex-Devadasi women in 15 districts, and the rehabilitation programme for transgender persons.
Loan-linked schemes work with banks or a state financial corporation. Udyogini gives a subsidy on a bank loan for women aged 18 to 55 from economically weaker sections, with a higher subsidy rate for SC and ST women. The interest subsidy for women entrepreneurs runs through Karnataka State Financial Corporation and covers medium and large scale industries for five years.
The Gelathi scheme supports acid attack survivors with an interest-free loan combined with a subsidy, and housing is provided through Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited.
The Women Training Programme gives skill training to economically backward women under the Mukhyamantri Kaushalya Karnataka guidelines. Its listed courses include dairy farming, tailoring, documentation and data entry, field technician work and computer hardware and networking.
Gruhalakshmi Digital Marketing is an online platform where women entrepreneurs can sell their products across Karnataka and beyond.
Selection
Applicants for the incentive schemes are selected by a district committee. The corporation's pages and its scheme document name different senior officers as the head of that committee: the pages name the District Commissioner, and the scheme document names the Deputy Commissioner. For Udyogini, the scheme document says selection is by a committee headed by the MLA of the relevant Assembly Constituency.
For the ex-Devadasi scheme, the scheme document sets an age floor of above 45 years. The web page for that scheme does not state an age limit, so check the current notification before you apply.
Track record
The pages reviewed do not publish counts of beneficiaries, schemes completed or amounts disbursed.
Who runs it
The board is chaired by Smt. G. Padmavathi, and Dr. N. Mahesh Babu is the Managing Director and member secretary. The board also includes officials from the Finance Department and the Women & Child Development Department. The head office is at Krishi Bhavan in Bengaluru. The corporation also has district offices and Development Inspectors across the state.
How to apply
Applications for the corporation's schemes are made through Bapuji Seva Kendra, Grama One, Bangalore One or Karnataka One centres. For the 2026-27 year, the homepage gives 31 October 2026, 5:30 pm as the last date. For ex-Devadasi women and housing details, the scheme document refers applicants to the Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development or to the Development Inspector of the district. For Gruhalakshmi Digital Marketing, register on the platform's own portal.
Get in touch
Send a message to Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) — we'll forward it on your behalf.
Who they work with
Tags
The team
Smt. G. Padmavathi
Chairperson
Dr. N. Mahesh Babu
Managing Director
Frequently asked questions about Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)
What is the full form of KSWDC?
KSWDC stands for Karnataka State Women Development Corporation.
What is Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)?
Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) is a government body based in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
What does Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) do?
Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation is a Government of Karnataka body based in Bengaluru. It was registered in 1987 under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, and works under the state's Department of Women & Child Development and Empowerment of Differently Abled & Senior Citizens.
Where is Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) located?
Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) is located at Karnataka Pradesh Krishik Samaj, No.18, Krishi Bhavan, 2nd floor, Nrupatunga Road, Bengaluru-560 001.
What programs does Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) run?
Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) runs Dhanashree, Chetana Scheme, Rehabilitation of Ex-Devadasi Women and Rehabilitation Programme for Transgender Persons, among others.
Does Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) provide funding?
Selected startups in some Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) programmes can receive grant support, including Dhanashree, Chetana Scheme, Rehabilitation of Ex-Devadasi Women and Rehabilitation Programme for Transgender Persons. Grant amounts are set per programme and cohort, and selection into a programme does not guarantee a grant — check the programme's own page for current terms.
How do I apply to Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)?
- Start from who you are. Most schemes are for one group: women living with HIV, ex-Devadasi women, transgender persons, female sex workers, or acid attack survivors. - For a business or service start-up, look at Udyogini (a subsidy on a bank loan, for women aged 18 to 55) and the interest subsidy scheme for women entrepreneurs in medium and large industries.
Who runs Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC)?
Smt. G. Padmavathi (Chairperson) and Dr. N. Mahesh Babu (Managing Director).
When was Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) founded?
Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) was founded in 1987. It is a government body.
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