Lok Sabha Question No. 2296 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: Women Entrepreneurship
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Krishna Pal Singh Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2296

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.09.2020

## WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

2296.   DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV:

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

- (a) whether the Government has launched any programme to promote women entrepreneurship across the country; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Madhya Pradesh?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  &  (b):  Government  has  taken  several  measures  aimed  at promoting  entrepreneurship  among women in the country. These include:

1. Initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE):
2.  To  encourage  women  entrepreneurship  within  the  Country,  Ministry  of  Skill  Development and  Entrepreneurship  (MSDE) implements the  project  named'Economic  Empowerment  of Women  Entrepreneurs and Startups by  Women'.The project pilots incubation and acceleration programmes for women micro entrepreneurs to start new businesses and scale up existing enterprises.
2. Initiatives of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME):
4.  Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme  (PMEGP): a  majorcredit-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.
5.  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.
6.  Special  provision  of  3  per  cent  procurement  from  Micro  and  Small  Enterprises  owned  by women.
3. NITI Aayog's initiative:
8.  The Women Entrepreneurship  Platform  (WEP) was  launched  on  8  March, 2018  on  the occasion of the International Women's Day as NITI Aayog's flagship initiative. WEP has pan India  coverage and does not  have  state  specific programme/s.  Registration  on  the  portal and  all  subsequent  services  are  provided  free  of cost  for WEP users. WEP caters  to  both aspiring and well established women in the space of entrepreneurship.
4.         Ministry of Rural Development is implementing the following:
10.  Skill  development  through  Rural  Self  Employment  and  Training  Institutes  (RSETIs),is a Bank-led  initiative, enabling  a  trainee  to  take  bank  credit  and  start  his/her  own  microenterprise.
11.  RSETI program is currently implemented through 585 RSETIs by 23 Leading Banks (both Public Sector and Private Sector as well as few Gramin Banks) in 33 States/UTs covering 566 districts in the country.
12.  Training in RSETI is being imparted for 61 courses aligned with National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). Out  of  61  courses  as  many  as  38  following  courses  are  exclusively suitable for women candidates for taking up-self employment ventures after being trained in these courses.

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