Context
Recently the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) launched the Women Entrepreneurship Programme.
About
- The initiative aims to empower 25 lakh women throughout India, offering them with the skills, knowledge, and assets needed to start and grow a successful business.
- Divided into phases, NSDC, with help from the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), will provide free on-line self-studying entrepreneurship courses through the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) as a part of the programme.
- In the next phase, NSDC extends incubation help to 10,000 shortlisted contestants throughout 100 business models.
Challenges faced by Women Entrepreneurs in India
- Low risk taking capability: The women in India often lead a protected life, are much less educated, less skilled and get low financial support. Thus, they are not able to endure the quantity of risk that is required for running a business.
- Male-Dominated Society: Traditional Indian society is male-ruled, wherein women are often seen as subordinate to men. Women are confined from pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, limiting their growth and prosperity.
- Conflict with Family commitments: Running a business regularly conflicts with family duties, making it challenging for women to balance both.
- Mobility Constraints: Safety issues and societal expectancies restrict their movement for business functions.
- Access to Technology: Women face challenges in gaining access to the modern era and integrating digital answers into their commercial business models, placing them at a downside as compared to male entrepreneurs.
Government Initiatives
- MUDRA Loans: It provides credit mainly for women entrepreneurs. It facilitates economic aid for women-led organizations and startups.
- Stand-Up India Scheme: It encourages entrepreneurship amongst women through offering smooth access to financing. It aims to promote self-employment and business ventures led through women.
- Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD): The scheme envisages economic empowerment of such women through trade related training, data and counseling extension activities associated with trades, products, services and so forth.
- Under the scheme, there is a provision for the Government of India to supply as much as 30% of the loan/ credit score maximum as much as Rs. 30.00 lakh as appraised by lending institutions/ banks.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q. ‘’Empowering women is the key to control the population growth.’’ Discuss. (2019)