A large number of programmes has been undertaken by different Ministries of Government of India for encouraging entrepreneurship in the county wherein care has been taken to ensure adequate participation and share of Women, by way of special provisions and added incentives for them.
As per Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) Order, 2012 (amended in 2018), out of the mandatory annual procurement of 25% by Central Ministries / Departments /Undertaking, at least 3% procurement should be from women entrepreneurs.
Start up India Programme
Start up India Programme was launched in February 2016 and over the period it had become the 3rd largest start-up ecosystem in the world ,providing handholding, funding support, incentives, industry –academic partnership to provide conducive environment for start ups in the Country. A corpus fund of 10,000 crores has been earmarked for the programme to build a strong ecosystem by nurturing innovation and start-ups. 10% of the corpus fund is reserved for women led start-ups. This would act as catalyst in creating an enabling environment for innovations start-ups to flourish, having a multiple effect on employment generation and social transformation leading to growth.
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Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) Employment Generation Programme. the scheme being implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Commission as the nodal agency through KVIC Directorates, State Khadi and Village industries Board (KVIBs), District Industries Centres and Banks. It is credit linked subsidy scheme to promote and set up MSME’S and to generate employment in rural and urban areas. For setting up new enterprises, subsidy level in the Programme to special categories, including women, is 25% and 35% in urban areas and rural areas, as compared to 15% and 25% in respective areas for General Category
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Stand up India Scheme
As part of MSME Policy, the Program was launched in 5th April 2016 for facilitating credit to women entrepreneurs with an objective of providing loans ranging from Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.1 Crore. In case of non-individual enterprise covered under the Scheme, 51 per cent of the share capital and controlling stake should be that of the women. The scheme focus on only SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
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Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana
It is an exclusive training programme aimed at the skill development of women artisans engaged in the coir industry. Two months of 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.
Mahila Samriddhi Yojana
It is a Micro Finance scheme for women with a rebate in interest. Financial Assistance up to the cost of Rs. 1,40,000/- is provided.
Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises launched the scheme to make available collateral-free credit to the micro and small enterprise sector. Both the existing and the new enterprises are eligible to be covered under the scheme. for which a Trust named Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) to implement the Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises has been established to provide credit facilities up to Rs 10 Crore per eligible borrower covered provided they are extended on the project viability without collateral security or third party guarantee. The extent of guarantee cover is 90% for Micro and Small Enterprises being operated and/or owned by Women. In case of default, Trust settles the claim up to 75% of the amount in default of the credit facility extended by the lending institution for credit facilities upto Rs 10 Cr. To know more, click here.
Micro & Small Enterprises – Cluster Development Programme
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India (GOI) has adopted the Cluster Development approach as a key strategy for enhancing the productivity and competitiveness as well as capacity building of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and their collectives in the country. A cluster is a group of enterprises located within an identifiable and as far as practicable, contiguous area or a value chain that goes beyond a geographical area and producing same/similar products/complementary products/services, which can be linked together by common physical infrastructure facilities that help address their common challenges. The objective of the scheme is to support the sustainability and growth of MSEs by addressing common issues such as improvement of technology, skills & quality, market access, etc, capacity building through formation of self help groups, consortia, set up Common Facility Centres (for testing, training, raw material depot, effluent treatment, complementing production processes, etc) Women Owned enterprises are given special consideration in all the programmes.
Mudra Yojana Scheme for Women
This scheme has been launched by the Govt. of India for individual women wanting to start small new enterprise and businesses like beauty parlous, tailoring units, tuition centers, etc as well as group of women wanting to start a venture together. The loan doesn’t require any collateral security and can be availed for an amount upto 10 Lakhs.
Exhibition for Women under promotional package for Micro and Small Enterprises under marketing support
For encouraging women entrepreneurs’ to take part in International Exhibitions certain provisions like free space in Exhibitions, economy class air fare for one women representative and shipping cost up to Rs 1500 is reimbursed.
Financing Schemes offered by Banks
A large number of banks have schemes to support entrepreneurship among women by providing certain concessions in the rate of interest, collateral security etc. Some of these schemes are listed below :
- Stree Shakti Package for Women Entrepreneurs : SBI run scheme offering concessions to women with majority ownership over 50% in a business provides interest concession 0.05% on loans exceeding Rs 2 lakhs with no security for loan upto Rs 5 lakhs.
- Canara Mahila Vikas : Provides minimum loan Rs10 Lakhs to women entrepreneurs
- Cent Kalyan Scheme : Central Bank of India scheme for new entrepreneurs and selfemployed women for macro/small enterprises. Loan upto Rs 1 crore without any collateral security.
- Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme : Offered by Punjab National Bank and SIDBI to support women enterprises to set up new small scale ventures extending loan upto Rs 10 lakhs to be repaid in 10 years. Similar support to women enterprises is being offered and loan even upto Rs1 Crore , without any collateral security to women entrepreneur. To name a few, Oriental Mahila Vikas Yojana Scheme by Oriental Bank of Commerce, Bhartiya Mahila Bank Business Loan, Dena Shakti Scheme by Dena Bank, Udyogini Scheme by Punjab and Sindh Bank etc.
Source : National Commission for Women
