Women Entrepreneurs in India - Dimensions of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship & Small Businesses | Entrepreneurship & Small Businesses - B Com PDF Download

Measures Taken For The Development Of Women Entrepreneurship In India - 

Women empowerment should be one of the primary goals of a society. Women should be given equality, right of decision-making and entitlements in terms of dignity. They should attain economic independence. The most important step to achieve women empowerment is to create awareness among women themselves. Development of women can be achieved through health, education and economic independence. Realizing the importance of women entrepreneurs, Govt. of India has taken a number of measures to assist them. Some of the important measures are outlined as follows:

1) TRYSEM: Training of Rural Youth For Self Employment was launched on 15th August 1979 which is still continuing. The objective of TRYSEM is to provide technical skills to rural youth between 18 and 35 years of age from families below the poverty line to enable them to take up self employment in agriculture and allied activities, industries, services and business activities.
This is a sub scheme of IRDP. Training given through ITIs, Polytechnics, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nehru Yuva Kendras etc has helped many rural women set up their own micro entreprises with IRDP assistance.

2) Banks: Banks particularly commercial banks have formulated several schemes to benefit women entrepreneurs. These includes Rural Entrepreneurship Development Programmes and other Training programmes, promotion of rural non-farm enterprise, women ventures etc.

3) NABARD: NABARD as an apex institution guides and assists commercial banks in paying special attention to women beneficiaries while financing. It has also been providing refinance to commercial banks so as to help the latter institutions to supplement their resources which could be deployed for the purpose of financing women beneficiaries.

4) Industrial Policy: The new Industrial policy of Government has specially highlighted the need for conducting special entrepreneurship programme for women.

5) Institutions and Voluntary Association: Several voluntary agencies like FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO), National Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs (NAYE) and others assist women entrepreneurs.

NAYE has been a leading institution engaged in the promotion and development of entrepreneurship among women. It convened a conference of women entrepreneurs in November 1975. It assists the women entrepreneurs in:

(a) Getting better access to capital, infrastructure and markets.
(b) Identifying investment opportunities.
(c) Developing managerial and productive capabilities.
(d) Attending to problems by taking up individual cases with appropriate authorities.
(e) Sponsoring participation in trade fairs, exhibitions, special conference etc.

6) National Policy For The Empowerment Of Women, 2001: As to the commitments made by India during the Fourth World Conference on women held in Beijing during September, 1995, the Department of women and children has drafted a national policy for the empowerment of women. This is meant to enhance the status of women in all walks of life at par with men.

Assistance To Women Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship does not differentiate the sex. A number of facilities and assistance are offered to the entrepreneurs. However, certain additional incentives or facilities offered to women entrepreneurs are discussed as follows.

• Small Industrial Development Organisation (SIDO) : SIDO through a network of SISIs conduct the EDPs exclusively for women entrepreneurs. The aim is to develop entrepreneurial traits and qualities among women and enable them to identify entrepreneurial opportunities etc.

• National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) : The H.P. scheme of NSIC provides preferential treatment to women entrepreneurs. It also conducts Entrepreneurs and Enterprise Building programmes for women.

• Industrial Development Bank Of India(IDBI) : The schemes of IDBI for women entrepreneurs are summarized as follows:
  Promoter’s Contribution:  The IDBI set up the Mahila Udyan Nidhi (MUN) and Mahila Vikas Nidhi (MVN) schemes to help women entrepreneurs. IDBI conduct programmes of training and extension services through designated approved agencies and association with other development agencies like EDII, TCOs, KVIC  etc.

• Small Industries Development Bank Of India (SIDBI): SIDBI has special schemes for financial assistance to women entrepreneurs. It provides training and extension services. It gives financial assistance at concessional terms in setting up tiny and small units.

• Commercial Banks: The “Sthree Shakthi Package Scheme” of SBI provides a package of assistance to women entrepreneurs. The consultancy wings of SBI give guidance on project identification and project viability. The program of assistance such as repair and servicing, photo copying, dry cleaning, retail trade business enterprises, poultry farming, tailoring etc. The Bank Of India has introduced a scheme known as ‘ Priyadarshini Yojana’ to help women entrepreneurs.

• Kudumbasree Units: With the objectives of poverty eradication and women empowerment Kudumbasree has been introduced in Kerala. The poor women are organised into community- based organisations. They start and operate micro enterprise. They earn income through self-employment.