What is Udyog Aadhaar

What is Udyog Aadhaar? It’s the 12-digit business ID that the Indian government introduced so small enterprises could access support and credit quickly. Here’s a quick guide to what it was, what it means now and what you should do.

What it was and how it helped
The scheme called Udyog Aadhaar (launched in September 2015) gave a unique number to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). With that number a business could show it was registered and get easier loans, subsidies or tenders.

Key facts at a glance

• Free online registration, self-declaration.
• 12-digit unique number issued as certificate.
• For MSMEs defined by investment in plant/equipment (manufacturing/service) as per original rules.
• Important: Since July 2020 the scheme was replaced and you should now go with the Udyam Registration process.

Example
Ram runs a small screen-printing setup in Pune. He has an investment of ~₹9 lakh in machines (so qualifies under micro). He applied for Udyog Aadhaar, got his number, used it to open a current bank account in the business name and applied for a soft-loan with that proof. Later, when govt switched to Udyam, he logged into the new portal, entered his old Udyog number and got the Udyam certificate. In short: the number helped him access finance and the migration kept his benefits intact.

What you should do now (quick tip)

• If you already have a Udyog Aadhaar number: check if you have moved to Udyam.
• If you don’t have any registration yet and want MSME benefits: register via Udyam (not Udyog).
• Keep your details updated (address, bank info) so you don’t miss out.