Schemes For Creating Jobs Among Women in Rural India: Features

Schemes For Creating Jobs Among Women in Rural India: Features

Question : Job creation among women in rural India is an important goal for the Indian government. Discuss features of various schemes for promoting employment generation among women in rural India.

Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme - (PMEGP)

• This scheme is being implemented through the KVIC and it is credit linked subsidy programme

• It aims to generate self employment and wage employment

• Margin money subsidy is provided for establishing micro-enterprises in non farm sector in the nation

• Special beneficiaries of this scheme are women in rural, tribal and backward areas

• They are provided margin money subsidy at a higher rate of 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas

• Maximum cost of project is INR 25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and 10 lakh in the service sector

Mahila Coir Yojana

• MSME ministry through the Coir Board is implementing this scheme

• This scheme provides self employment opportunities to rural women artisans especially from backward and coastal areas

• Scheme involves distribution of motorised ratts to female artisans

• They are also given training for spinning coir yarn

Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance And Development (TREAD)

• This scheme is implemented by the MSME Development Commissioner

• It promotes economic empowerment of illiterate and semi-literate women through:

- Trade related training
- Information and counselling
- Extension activities pertaining to trade, products and services

• Scheme also provides loans through NGOs for grants for capacity building

• Women pursuing non farm activities and creating employment ventures in this field are helped through the scheme

Facts and Stats

• Labour Bureau’s report for 2012-2013 indicates Sikkim has maximum number of unemployed persons

• According to this report, Chhattisgarh has minimum number of unemployed persons; overall employment rate of country is 4.7%

• According to NSSO 2012, number of employed women between 2009 and 2012 dropped from 18 percent to 16 percent

• According to the report, 90 lakh women in rural sector lost their job over a period of two years

• Overall unemployment rate was 7.2% for females and 4% for males, as per NSSO 2012