Empowering Rural Women in India through Entrepreneurship? Is it possible? Deendayal Antodaya Yojana is doing just that.
I am confused. The egg comes first or the chicken? My sister had a thesis which talked about dinosaurs and the egg which came first.No I am not joking. She is a Senior Geologist and while in Delhi we used to hear her practice her final speech on skype. The speech made a deep impact on me. Do you wait for society to change, or is society your responsibility too? Can you make a difference? Can you cause a change? Whether you can change things or not, only time can tell. But whether your action will make a difference I have an answer.
When God made the world he gave man one interesting power. The ability to choose.
You can choose what is right or wrong .You can choose to take a stand. You can choose to help lend your voice to those who can’t. But whether you do so or not is a different matter.
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#Empoweringruralwomen is one such endeavor. If not for Twitter I would probably not know about this.
What is Deendayal Atayodaya Scheme?
Deendayal Atayoday Scheme-the National Rural Livelihood Mission is a commendable initiative the Central Government is implementing with the help of State Government.
Quick Mission stats:
Now in 4,459 blocks,586 districts of 29 States and 5 Union Territories (UTC).
What is it doing?
Community Institution Building
Financial Inclusion
Financial Services in Remote Areas
Interest Subvention(special rates for timely loan repayment)
Mahila Kisan Shashaktikaran Pariyojana and Value Chain Initiatives
Agriculture is dependent on tools an equipment. By setting up and promoting Custom Hiring Centre/ Community Managed Tool Banks across the states in India agricultural productivity is increased. Small and marginal farmers can hire services and farm equipment to make life easier.
Services offered: Soil testing, cold chain management etc.
USP: Nominal rates, Local availability, and support
4,150 Custom Hiring Centre/ Community Managed Tool Banks in India currently and growing.
Community Livelihood Professionals
A business needs a variety of support staff for managing the day to day functioning, This is where the community-driven implementation strategy the cornerstone of the Mission excels. Community members give support to the community institutions.
Support includes bookkeeping, training, capacity building, financial services etc.
Community Livelihoods Resource Persons (CLRP)called Krishi Sakhi and Pashu Sakhi. They are meant as around the clock doorstep service to this sector. Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme & Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana
Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) and Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY). SVEP supports entrepreneurship in rural areas.
Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana:DDUGKY is meant to develop at placement linked skills of rural youth. This will help in gainful employment in higher wage sectors of the economy. KAUSHAL PANJEE is a mobile app for registration of prospective training candidates.
Rural Self Employment Training Institutes
The Mission has 31 Banks and State Governments as partners and is supporting Rural Self Employment Institutes (RSETIs) to skill rural youth. Because it’s your skills which get you employed.
Point to note:60% of the trainees in RSETI are women.
All this is wonderful and the absolute perfect way government is planning.Here is how I think some more work can get done.
My small suggestions :
- Let IIT and IIM passouts have a one-year internship in rural setup to help in setting up and managing project ideas in rural India
- Let Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, fashion designers, hotel management graduates visit rural setup and help them start something as a part of weighted project work and a part of entrepreneurship.
- This will help the rural economy become self-sufficient. Because honestly speaking rural India is still sad. They need to be focussed hel[ from smart people.
- Make solar-powered electricity reach all villages and the power of the Internet. Computer classes online in mother tongue will help too. Hundred percent penetration needed.
- If you can sell online from villages it will help in empowering women in more ways than one. After all, women look after home and hearth too. Ask Amazon India to help.If they can earn in India, they can help India grow.
- Make adult education mandatory for additional benefits for entrepreneurs. Education is not only a means of earning it also helps to build a healthier society.
- Give targetted help with planning, formulating, market testing and launching a minimal viable product. Leveraging the power of the internet and outsourcing to reach the Global market, can be a good way to make rural and urban India self-sufficient.
- Keep an eagle’s eye watch on women’s health issues. Health care access can make or break many dreams.
While you should always strive for personal development you have a responsibility towards the greater good of society. Thats the beauty of the Deendayal Atayoday Scheme-the National Rural Livelihood Mission .
The #BlogToPM is an endeavor which helps us lend a voice.