Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Swavalambini Unveiled

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in partnership with NITI Aayog, launched 'Swavalambini' to bolster women entrepreneurship in India. The program, targeting young women in higher education, provides entrepreneurial training, resources, and mentorship. It aims to transform women's roles from scheme beneficiaries to leaders of development initiatives.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with NITI Aayog, has introduced the Swavalambini Women Entrepreneurship Programme at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. The launch marks a critical stride toward enhancing women's entrepreneurship in India, according to an official statement released on Saturday.

Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, emphasized during the launch that Swavalambini is designed to empower young women with the necessary skills and confidence to start their own businesses. He highlighted the shift from making women beneficiaries to enabling them as leaders of developmental initiatives, following Prime Minister Modi's vision. Chaudhary also mentioned plans for incorporating AI-related courses in educational curricula to further skill the youth of India.

Implemented by the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and supported by NITI Ayog, Swavalambini intends to construct a well-defined entrepreneurial pathway for aspiring female entrepreneurs. It offers various stages such as awareness-building, skill development, mentorship, and funding support. After successful launches in several higher education institutions in the eastern region and northeastern states, the scheme's reach is expanding nationwide, with recent virtual launches at Banaras Hindu University, the University of Hyderabad, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University.

(With inputs from agencies.)