PROMOTION OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Pradhan Mantri YUVA (PM YUVA) Yojana implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been a pilot scheme for creating an enabling ecosystem through entrepreneurship education, training, advocacy and easy access to entrepreneurship network. The State of West Bengal has been covered under the scheme. scheme

6. the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is implementing the following schemes for promoting entrepreneurship among Women:

1. ‘Skill Upgradation & Mahila Coir Yojana’ under Coir Vikas Yojana, which is as an exclusive training programme aimed at skill development of women artisans engaged in the coir industry. Two months training in coir spinning is imparted through this programme. The candidates who undergo this training are given a stipend of Rs. 3000/- per month. The trained artisans under the scheme are encouraged to avail assistance through Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) scheme to set up coir units.
2. Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), which is a major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and rural/ urban unemployed youth. For beneficiaries belonging to special categories such as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/ OBC / minorities/ women, ex-serviceman, physically handicapped, North Eastern Region (NER), Hill and Border areas, etc., higher subsidy is given.
3. Under the Public Procurement Policy, all Central Ministries/ Departments/ Public Sector Undertakings are mandated to procure at least 3% of their annual procurement from women owned micro & small enterprises.
4. The Government also implements several other schemes for promotion and development of MSMEs, including women owned MSMEs, namely, Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP), Tool Rooms & Technology Centres, Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE), Procurement and marketing Support Scheme, Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESDP), Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Upgradation Scheme (CLCS-TUS) etc. Increased incentives/subsidy is provided to women entrepreneurs participating in Trade Fairs.

During the FY 2017-18 to 2019-20, following number of women beneficiaries have been assisted under PMEGP scheme in the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong:

Districts	Units established by women beneficiaries	Margin Money Subsidy disbursed (Rs.In Lakh)	Estimated employment generated
Darjeeling	66	152.71	270
Kalimpong	04	13.88	42

In addition, to encourage women entrepreneurship in the country, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Germany has launched a pilot project, ‘Economic Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs and Startups by Women’ to support aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs. The project pilots incubation and acceleration programmes for women micro entrepreneurs to start new businesses and scale up existing enterprises in Rajasthan, Telangana, Maharashtra., Uttar Pradesh and North Eastern Region.

Apart from above, in order to enhance the employability of female workers, the Government is providing training to them through a network of Women Industrial Training Institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional Vocational Training Institutes. To ensure economic independence of women through skill development and vocational training, the Government has also introduced Skill India Mission. The National Skill Development Policy focuses on inclusive skill development, with the objective of increased women participation for better economic productivity. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendras lay emphasis on creating additional infrastructure, both for training and apprenticeship, for women; flexible training delivery mechanisms, flexible afternoon batches on local need-based training to accommodate women; and ensuring safe and gender sensitive training environment, employment of women trainers, equity in remuneration, and complaint redressal mechanism. Moreover, there are schemes like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and Stand Up India, majority of beneficiaries of which are women.

  This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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