PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Rural Development minister Bharat Singh Chaudhary on Tuesday launched the Business Handholding Unit for Livelihood Incubation (BHULI) programme in Dehradun to promote women entrepreneurship in rural Uttarakhand.
The initiative will be implemented under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission (USRLM) in collaboration with the Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (FIED) of IIM Kashipur.
Speaking on the occasion, Chaudhary said that the State government aims to empower rural women by helping them establish sustainable enterprises. He said that the programme will provide self-help group members with technical, financial and marketing support to strengthen the rural economy and create employment opportunities.
Under the initiative, 150 women-owned or women-led enterprises will be selected and provided technical, financial and marketing assistance. The programme aims to improve productivity, profitability, market access and employment generation with selected enterprises expected to achieve 15 per cent annual growth in turnover and create three to four jobs on average.
The programme also includes a challenge fund, under which selected entrepreneurs will receive grants and zero-interest soft loans for business expansion. Assistance of up to 75 per cent of the required capital investment and working capital may be provided, subject to programme guidelines.
