A Scheme titled Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development for Women

To enable women entrepreneurs to set up their own enterprises, the Ministry of MSME is implementing a scheme titled “Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD) for women. Under this scheme, NGOs/SHGs are provided grant upto 30% of the loan amount sanctioned by the banks for a group of women for setting up their own enterprises. Under PMEGP financial assistance is provided for setting up of micro enterprises costing upto Rs.10 lakh in service/ business sector and Rs. 25 lakh in manufacturing sector. The assistance is provided in the form of subsidy upto 25% (35% for weaker sections including women) of the project cost in rural areas while it is 15% (25% for weaker sections including women) for urban areas. Under the MSE - Cluster Development Programme, central grant upto 90% (maximum Rs. 9 crore) is provided for the development of women clusters. Under Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme women entrepreneurs are provided credit guarantee cover upto 80%. In the Entrepreneurship/ Management Development Programmes conducted by the field institutions, women trainees are given 50% concession in the course fee. In addition 20% of the total entrepreneurship development programmes /entrepreneurship skill development programmes are exclusively conducted for weaker sections (SC/ST/Women/Physically Handicapped) which are free of charge and a stipend of Rs.500/- per month is paid to each trainee.

The Ministry of MSME is implementing many schemes/ programmes for the development and promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises sector. These schemes facilitate the setting up of new enterprises and thereby generate employment opportunities for all sections of the society including SCs, STs and OBCs.

This information was given by Shri Dinsha Patel, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.