Women Entrepreneurs in India
Mr. Pravin S. More ( moreps@coe.sveri.ac.in), Assistant Professor, Department of MBA, SVERI’s College of Engineering Pandharpur
Entrepreneurship has been pointed out by researchers as well as policymakers as one of the main drivers of economic growth and development. Over the years, a great deal of research has been conducted on this topic. However, in many cases the investigation is broad and not gender specific. Females meet different challenges and barriers when compared to males; hence specific gender based entrepreneurial research could aid in the development and improvement of female entrepreneurship (FE). As research findings may in same cases be used either directly or indirectly to improve or amendment management policies, having more high impact data available could prove to be valuable in certain cases. Of Women Entrepreneurship “Women Entrepreneurs may be defined as the women or a group of women who initiate, organize and operate a business enterprise”
Traditionally, women in India have been found in low productive sectors such as agriculture and household activities. Human Development Report 2004 ranks India 103 in Gender related Development Index (GDI). As per 2001 census; women constitute half of India’s population. Out of this total, 72% were engaged in agriculture, 21.7% in other non-agricultural pursuits with only 6.3% in household industries.
Women entrepreneurs in India are handicapped in the matter of organizing and running businesses on account of their low levels of skills and for want of support system. The transition from homemaker to sophisticated business woman is not that easy.
Steps Taken By Government to Develop Women Entrepreneurs in India
The growth and development of women entrepreneurs required to be accelerated because entrepreneurial development is not possible without the participation of women.
Therefore, an amiable environment is needed to be created to enable women to participate actively in the entrepreneurial activities. There is a need of Government, Non-Government, promotional and regulatory agencies to come forward and play the supportive role in promoting the women entrepreneur in India.
The Government of India has also formulated various training and development cum employment generations programs for the women to start their ventures. These programmed are as follows:
1. Steps taken in Seventh Five-Year Plan:
In the seventh five-year plan, a special chapter on the “Integration of women in development” was introduced by Government with following suggestion:
(I) Specific target group:
It was suggested to treat women as a specific target groups in all major development programs of the country.
(ii) Arranging training facilities:
It is also suggested in the chapter to devise and diversify vocational training facilities for women to suit their changing needs and skills.
(iii) Developing new equipment:
Efforts should be made to increase their efficiency and productivity through proper technologies, equipment, and practices.
(iv) Marketing aid:
It was suggested to supply the required aid for marketing the products produced by women entrepreneurs.
2. Steps taken by Government during Eight Five-Year Plan:
The Government of India devised special programs to increases employment and income-generating activities for women in rural areas. The following plans are lunched during the Eight-Five Year Plan:
(I) Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana and EDPs were introduced to develop entrepreneurial qualities among rural women.
(ii) ‘Women in agriculture’ scheme was introduced to train women farmers having small and marginal holdings in agriculture and allied activities.
(iii) To generate more employment opportunities for women KVIC took determined measures in remote areas.
(iv) Women co-operatives schemes were formed to help women in Agri-based industries like dairy farming, poultry, animal husbandry, horticulture etc. with full financial support from the Government.
(v) Several other schemes like integrated Rural Development Programs (IRDP), Training of Rural youth for Self-employment (TRYSEM) etc. were started to alleviated poverty.30-40% reservation is provided to women under these schemes.
3. Steps taken by Government during Ninth Five-Year Plan:
(I) Mahila Udyam Nidhi
(ii) Micro Cordite Scheme for Women
(iii) Mahila Vikas Nidhi
(iv) Women Entrepreneurial Development Programmed.
(v) Marketing Development Fund for Women.
5. Training programmers:
1. Mahila Vikas Nidhi
2. Rastriya Mahila Kosh
Famous Successful Indian Women Entrepreneurs
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw – The founder of Biocon Limited
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