Ranchi, July 30: Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh on Thursday launched a state-level incubator programme aimed at strengthening women-led rural enterprises and expanding entrepreneurship opportunities across the state.
The three-year initiative seeks to identify, support, formalise and scale women-owned and women-led micro and nano enterprises engaged in non-farm manufacturing and service activities.
The programme is being led by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) and will be implemented by the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP).
Under the first phase, 150 women-led enterprises will receive support over three years. The selected businesses will be provided training, mentoring, financial guidance, assistance with business formalisation, branding and marketing support, and access to e-commerce platforms.
Speaking at the launch, Singh said Jharkhand had long been recognised for its mineral resources, but the government also wanted the skills, determination and entrepreneurial capabilities of rural women to contribute to the state’s identity.
She said the initiative was designed to promote sustained growth in the income and business activities of women entrepreneurs and help their enterprises become self-reliant and competitive.
The minister added that institutional partnerships and capacity-building programmes would be strengthened with the support of IIMCIP.According to the government, the wider initiative is expected to provide training and institutional support to around 1.5 lakh women entrepreneurs associated with JSLPS, along with workers linked to their enterprises.
The programme is expected to improve access to professional guidance, financial resources and markets while helping rural women develop sustainable businesses and create additional livelihood opportunities.
The initiative also seeks to increase the participation of women in Jharkhand’s non-farm rural economy and support the growth of locally driven enterprises.
