Lok Sabha Question No. 3173 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: Women Entrepreneurship Platform
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Shri Tanuj Punia

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3173

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026

## WOMEN ENTREPRENUERSHIP PLATFORM

3173.  SHRI TANUJ PUNIA: Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:
2. (a) whether the Niti Aayog's flagship initiative ' Women Entrepreneurship  Platform'  achieved  its  target  objectives  of catering  of  both  aspiring  and  well-established  women  in  the field of Entrepreneurship;
3. (b)      if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor, Statewise; and
4. (c)       the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to cater both aspiring and well-established women in the field of Entrepreneurship?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a) & (b) Yes Sir. The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) using the framework of Award to Reward programme is aimed at catering to the well-established women in the field of entrepreneurship under the

Yashasvini  programme  in  collaboration  with  the  Ministry  of  Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and aspiring college going girl students under the Swavalambini programme implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

## For Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs:

MSDE in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform of NITI  Aayog  as  knowledge  partner  launched  the  Swavalambini  -  a Women Entrepreneurship Programme in February, 2025 in six Higher Education  Institutions (HEIs)/ Universities  of  Assam,  Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana as a pilot project. The Ministry is  implementing  the  programme  through  its  Autonomous  Institutes, namely,  National  Institute  for  Entrepreneurship  and  Small  Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.

The  Project  aims  to  cultivate  an  entrepreneurial  mindset  among female students, equipping them with awareness of available support mechanisms, schemes, resources and networks essential for pursuing entrepreneurship as a career.

The target group for the Swavalambini Project includes 1200 female students  from  Higher  Educational  Institutes  (HEIs)  and  Universities who undergo introductory  programme  on  entrepreneurial  awareness through Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP). Out of these, 600 students selected from EAP participants undergo the Entrepreneurship  Development  Programme  (EDP)  offering  intensive entrepreneurship development  training covering crucial business aspects such as skilling, access to finance, market linkages, compliance  and  legal  support,  business  services  and  networking opportunities.  This  is  followed  by  21  weeks  of  mentorship  and handholding  support  to  help  participants  translate  their  ideas  into sustainable enterprises.

MSDE will oversee the execution, supervision, and monitoring of the programme,  while NITI Aayog  will  organize  workshops,  provide mentoring support, facilitate seed funding, and recognize  successful entrepreneurs through the Award To Reward (ATR) initiative.

To ensure long-term impact, the programme also includes a Faculty Development Programme (FDP), where faculty members from participating HEIs/Universities shall undergo a five-day training session. This initiative will equip educators with the necessary skills to  mentor  and  guide  aspiring  women  entrepreneurs  within  their institutions.

The programme-wise details of women participants trained under the pilot project is as under:

| Name of the Programme                        |   Total Target | Total Trained   |
|----------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|
| Faculty Development Programme (FDP)          |             75 | 75              |
| Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP)   |           1200 | 1,110           |
| Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) |            600 | 302             |

The  State-wise  and  programme-wise  details  of  number  of  women participants  trained  as  on  29.01.2026  under  the  pilot  project  is  as under:

| State         | Name of the Programme (Total trained)   | Name of the Programme (Total trained)   | Name of the Programme (Total trained)   |
|---------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|               | FDP                                     | EAP                                     | EDP                                     |
| Assam         | 9                                       | 64                                      | *                                       |
| Meghalaya     | 8                                       | 161                                     | *                                       |
| Mizoram       | 10                                      | 244                                     | *                                       |
| Uttar Pradesh | 31                                      | 491                                     | 254                                     |

| Telangana   |   17 | 150   |   48 |
|-------------|------|-------|------|
| Total       |   75 | 1,110 |  302 |

(c) Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among women. In this regard, some of the initiatives taken  by  M/o  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises  (MSME)  include CPSEs/Ministries/Departments mandated to procure 3% of their annual procurement  from  women-owned  micro  and  small  enterprises;  under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises specific concessions  for  women;  in  a  credit-linked  subsidy  programme  under Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for selfemployment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises, 39% are women and they are provided higher subsidy (35%) vis-a-vis non-special  category  (upto  25%);  subsidizing  participation  of  women entrepreneurs in trade fairs under Procurement and Marketing Support Scheme to the extent of 100% vis-a-vis 80% for other entrepreneurs. Some of the schemes of the M/o Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to promote entrepreneurship among different target groups, including women include Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya  Maha  Abhiyan  (PMJANMAN)  Project,  Dharti  Aaba  Janjatiya Gram  Utkarsh  Abhiyan  (DAJGUA)  Project,  Skill  Strengthening  for Industrial  Value  Enhancement  (STRIVE)  Project,  Capacity  Building Programme  for  Fair  Price  Shop  Owners,  Rastriya  Udyamita  Vikas Pariyojana on Pilot Basis for PM Svanidhi Beneficiaries and  Organising Workshops in Artisan Melas and Haats.

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