In a significant push towards promoting women entrepreneurship in the northeast, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with NITI Aayog launched Swavalambini – a Women Entrepreneurship Programme – in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
What is Swavalambini?
Swavalambini is a women entrepreneurship program designed to empower females in Northeast India’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with an entrepreneurial mindset, resources, and mentorship for business success.
Program Structure:
- Launched by MSDE, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) Guwahati, and NITI Aayog.
- Includes a stage-wise process:
- Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP)
- Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP)
- Faculty Development Programme (FDP)
- Funding Support.
- Recognizes and awards successful ventures, creating a framework to scale women-led enterprises.
- Expected Outcomes:
- 10% of EDP trainees expected to launch successful businesses.
- Strengthens entrepreneurial culture in HEIs, promoting business creation as a career path for women.
- Aims to position women-led enterprises as a key driver of India’s economic growth.
How Does Swavalambini Align with National Policies?
- National Education Policy (NEP) 2020:
- NEP promotes skill integration, industry collaboration, and entrepreneurship-driven education.
- Swavalambini enhances these goals by providing financial and mentorship support for women entrepreneurs.
- Women Entrepreneurship Schemes:
- Swavalambini supports and aligns with initiatives like Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, PM Mudra Yojana, and Women Entrepreneurship Platform.
- Supports Union Budget 2025, which includes a Rs 10,000 crore startup fund and a 100% tax exemption for start-up profits for five years, ensuring crucial financial backing for women-led enterprises.
Women Entrepreneurship Landscape in India
- MSMEs in India:
- India has over 63 million MSMEs, with 20% (12.39 million) being women-owned.
- Employment Contribution:
- Women-led MSMEs employ approximately 22-27 million
- India’s Rank in Women Entrepreneurship:
- 57th out of 65 countries in the Mastercard Index on Women Entrepreneurship (MIWE) 2021.
- 70th out of 77 countries in the Global Female Entrepreneurship Index (FEI).
- Top States with Highest Share of Women-Led MSMEs:
- West Bengal: 23.42%
- Tamil Nadu: 10.37%
- Telangana: 7.85%
- Karnataka: 7.56%
- Andhra Pradesh: 6.76%
This program, Swavalambini, fosters an entrepreneurial ecosystem for women in Northeast India, aligning with national efforts to boost women entrepreneurship and contribute to economic growth.
