The Finance Ministry reported on August 4 that SIDBI had opened 71 branches between April 2024 and July 29, 2026. The parliamentary reply also described growth in direct lending and refinancing.
For March 31, 2026, it reported direct credit outstanding of Rs 51,687 crore, compared with Rs 37,781 crore a year earlier. Refinancing outstanding was reported at Rs 450,571 crore, against Rs 385,327 crore.
The distinction explains the scale difference. Direct credit is SIDBI's lending channel to enterprises; refinancing supplies resources to other lending institutions. Treating both figures as direct loans to individual businesses would misdescribe how the financing reaches the sector.
Outstanding balances are also not the same as all loans newly issued during a year. The comparison shows the reported portfolio at two dates, not a count of new borrowers or applications approved.
