The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to rural communities in India, especially for micro-entrepreneurs and small business owners. The Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), an initiative under the Ministry of Rural Development, aims to support rural entrepreneurs in establishing and scaling up their businesses by providing financial assistance, skill development, and mentorship. In Tappal Block, Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh, the local self-governing bodies of the program, played a crucial role in implementing SVEP and ensuring that the scheme's beneficiaries received the necessary support during the pandemic, and in the post-pandemic recovery phase.