SIDBI had been providing refinance to State Level Finance Corporations / State Industrial Development Corporations / Banks etc., against their loans granted to small scale units.
Since the formation of SIDBI in April, 1990 a need was felt/ representations were made that SIDBI being the principal financial institution for the small sector, should take up the financing of SSI projects directly on a selective basis.
So it was decided to introduce direct assistance schemes to supplement the other available channels of credit flow to the small industries sector. Since then, SIDBI has evolved itself into a supplier of a range of products and services to the Small & Medium Enterprises [SME] sector.