Women entrepreneurship programme under NRLM extended to more blocks in Ernakulam

While SVEP is mainly a Union government project funded by the Centre and State in the ratio of 60:40, a similar programme fully funded by the State government is being implemented in North Paravur block panchayat under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative

Impressed by the success of the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) in Vadavucode block panchayat where it was introduced on a pilot basis four years back under the aegis of the district Kudumbashree Mission, the programme has now been extended to Vypeen and Alangad blocks in the second and third phases respectively.

The programme under the National Rural Livelihood Mission created 2,129 women enterprises in Vadavucode instead of the targeted 2,054. The pilot project was launched alongside a block panchayat in Pathanamthitta in 2017.

“We are planning to create around 1,500 women micro-enterprises in Vypeen in the next four years. The final phase of the 50-day training programme for the 27 micro-enterprises consultants (MECs) got underway on Wednesday,” said S. Renjini, Kudumbashree district mission coordinator.

The programme is in the initial stage in Alangad block panchayat where the selection of MECs is underway. SVEP aims at the economic empowerment of women by harnessing their entrepreneurial skills.

While SVEP is mainly a Union government project funded by the Centre and State in the ratio of 60:40, a similar programme fully funded by the State government is being implemented in North Paravur block panchayat under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative. The idea is to create around 2000 women enterprises in the next four years to rebuild the lives in one of the worst affected places in the 2018 deluge.

“The micro-enterprises created in Vadavucode block where SVEP programme has expired are now largely self-sustainable. Besides, they are also being assisted by the State government for scaling up and growing using the Kudumbashree entrepreneurship development funds in addition to offering support for marketing and branding,” said Ms. Renjini.

SVEP is being run by a network of trained MECs and the Block Nodal Society for Enterprise Promotion (BNSEP) constituted with the chairperson and micro-enterprise convener from each Community Development Society (CDS) in the panchayats coming under the block. MECs identify the potential entrepreneurs, conduct surveys to assess their interested areas and feasibility analysis, and help them with the preparation of the detailed project reports and availing of bank loans. MECs are also guided by an experienced mentor with Kudumbashree background.

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