Lok Sabha Question No. 4555 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Women Entrepreneurship
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Jyotsna Charandas Mahant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4555

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2020

## WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## 4555. SHRIMATI JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to   state:

- (a) whether the Government has initiated any programme to promote entrepreneurship among women across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Chhattisgarh; and
- (c)       If not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to (c): Government has initiated programmes to promote entrepreneurship among women across the country, some important ones are a below:
1. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing the following schemes:
- (i) Economic  Empowerment  of  Women  Entrepreneurs  and  Start-ups  by Women  (WEE)To  improve  the  framework  conditions  for  women-led  enterprises  in India and help them in setting up or scaling up their business, 'Economic Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs and Start-ups by Women' (WEE) project has been launched by  the  Ministry  in  2018  for  a  duration  of  3  years  (2018-21)  in  collaboration  with Government of Germany through GIZ. The project has the target to pilot the incubation programmes with 250 women and the acceleration programmes with 100 women in the States of Rajasthan, Telangana, Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya.
- (ii) National  Entrepreneurship  Awards  Scheme  (NEAS)  To  catalyze  a  cultural shift in the youth of the country for entrepreneurship, National Entrepreneurship Awards Scheme has been introduced in year 2016. The Scheme has the objective to recognize and  honour  young  entrepreneurs  and  eco-system  builders  for  their outstanding contribution  in  field  of  entrepreneurship  development.  Under  the  scheme,  awards  are given to those individuals and organisations who  are working in the field of entrepreneurship development and there is special provision of 3 awards exclusively for Women  Entrepreneurs.  So  far,  out  of  a  total  of  95  awards  conferred,  34  women entrepreneurs  have  received  National  Entrepreneurship  Awards  under  the  Enterprise sub track

.

2. Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is implementing 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. Any individual above 18 years of age is eligible  to avail benefits of the program. For setting up of projects costing  above  Rs.10  lakh  in  the  manufacturing  sector  and  above  Rs.  5  lakh  in  the business /service sector, the beneficiaries should possess at least VIII standard pass educational  qualification.  General  category  beneficiaries  can  avail  of  margin  money subsidy  of  25  %  of  the  project  cost  in  rural  areas  and  15%  in  urban  areas.  For beneficiaries belonging to special categories such as women/ scheduled caste/scheduled  tribe/OBC  /minorities,  ex-serviceman,  physically  handicapped,  North Eastern Region(NER), Hill and Border areas etc. the margin money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. The maximum cost of projects is Rs. 25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and Rs. 10 lakh in the service sector. Benefit can be availed under PMEGP for setting up of new units only.

Women are thus covered as special category under PMEGP and are entitled to higher  rate  of  subsidy.  The  programme  is  performing  well  and  is  very  much  popular among the unemployed Women. As per the budgetary guidelines, Ministry of MSME is required to spend atleast 30% of the budget on women in its schemes. Under PMEGP, 35 to 40% of the total margin money subsidy is disbursed to women.

3. In  the  Ministry  of  Women  &  Child  Development,  Rashtriya  Mahila  Kosh (RMK), a  society  registered  under  the  Societies  Registration  Act,  1860,  is  an  apex micro-finance  organization  that  provides  micro-credit  at  concessional  terms  to  poor women for various livelihood and income generating activities. The loans are granted for Income Generating Activities (IGA), housing, micro-enterprises, family needs, etc. RMK has also taken a number of promotional measures to popularise the concept of women empowerment  by  way  of  micro-financing,  thrift  and  credit,  capacity  building  and marketing  linkages  through  SHGs  format  and  also  enterprise  development  for  poor women.
4. On 7th March, 2016, the Ministry of Women and Child Development launched 'Mahila E-haat', a  direct  online  marketing platform to support women entrepreneurs/ SHGs/NGOs. Mahila E-haat is an initiative for meeting aspirations and needs of women entrepreneurs. It is aimed at providing a marketing platform by leveraging technology for showcasing products made/manufactured/sold by women entrepreneurs/SHGs/NGOs. as also showcasing services reflecting their creative potential.

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