MSME minister launches “SAMARTH” to boost women entrepreneurship on women's day

MSME Minister Narayan Tatya Rane has launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women - "SAMARTH" to boost self employment opportunities among women entrepreneurs. Here are the details of the schemes and the reaction of women entrepreneurs.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, Union Minister for MSME, Narayan Tatya Rane, along with Minister of State for MSME, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women - "SAMARTH" at New Delhi in the presence of Secretary (MSME), AS&DC (MSME), Chairman (KVIC), Senior Officials of the Ministry and women entrepreneurs.

Congratulating women at the event, Rane said that the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector offers plethora of opportunities for women, 

and the Ministry of MSME, through its schemes and initiatives, is continuously making efforts to develop entrepreneurship culture among women by offering several additional benefits for women in the schemes implemented by the Ministry.

Rane announced a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women called "SAMARTH", which is being implemented by the Ministry to provide them an opportunity to be self-reliant and independent by undertaking self- employment opportunities.

Under the initiative, 20 percent seats in free Skill Development Programs organised under skill development schemes of the Ministry will be allocated for women, through which 7,500 women are expected to be benefitted.

Moreover, 20 percent of MSME Business Delegations sent to domestic and international exhibitions under the schemes for Marketing Assistance implemented by the Ministry will be dedicated to women owned MSMEs. This will enable women entrepreneurs to avail marketing opportunities to showcase their products in domestic and international exhibitions.

There is also 20 percent discount on annual processing fee on NSIC’s Commercial Schemes Special Drive for registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam Registration.

Hailing the move, Payal Jaggi, Founder of KincheByPayal, a handcrafted private label, said, this is a welcome move by the Ministry of MSME.

“As someone who has been an entrepreneur for about eight years, I feel like this will go a long way in benefitting other women like me. I hope the scheme provides a robust and responsive structure along with timely support that women are able to benefit from." she added.