Lok Sabha Question No. 1017 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-03
Subject: Promotion of Women Entrepreneurship
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1017

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2021

## PROMOTION OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## 1017. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

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/UT-wise including West Bengal particularly in the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  and  (b):  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  ac cess   to  entrepreneurship   network.  The State  of  West   Bengal  has  been  covered under the scheme. scheme

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

- I. '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.
- II. 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.
- III. 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.
- IV. 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 (CLCSTUS)  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.

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