NSRCEL, Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Promotion Society launch Swavalambane programme for rural women entrepreneurs

NSRCEL, the incubation arm of IIM Bangalore (IIM-B), and the Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (KSRLPS) have partnered to support and scale women-owned non-farm businesses in rural Karnataka through the Swavalambane programme.  

The programme aims to scale existing women-led micro-businesses across Karnataka’s Tier II and III cities by offering them an opportunity to engage with larger markets, become financially sustainable, generate local employment, and help them transform their businesses into successful, scalable, and sustainable ventures. 

It also wants to drive revenue growth, with a target of increasing each participating business' revenue by 15%, fostering financial stability and expansion.

Moreover, the programme—supported by the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) under the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP), funded by the World Bank—is dedicated to developing a replicable business model, one that can be readily adopted in other states.

"Karnataka’s entrepreneurial landscape is renowned for its tech-led innovation and for its incredible grassroots entrepreneurship. Areas like silk, toys, jewellery and food products have global recognition. And women have been the driving force behind this,” Anand Sri Ganesh, CEO of NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore, said.

Out of 40,000 applications received, only 16,000 met the criteria for the programme, and only 150 rural women entrepreneurs qualified to receive support from IIM-B and KSRLPS through soft loans and grants.

Additionally, participants will receive digital marketing and branding guidance, equipping them with essential skills for business growth. After the first year, the KSRLPS will continue to guide and support these entrepreneurs for another three years.

“Sanjeevini KSRLPS has been at the forefront of mobilising eligible women into self-help groups. Today, we are venturing into another exciting avenue for our self-help group women to transform into full-fledged entrepreneurs who can take advantage of a growing domestic market and burgeoning opportunities and platforms to sell their products," Ragapriya R, Mission Director, Sanjeevini – KSRLPS, said.