North East India used to have seven states and known as ‘Seven Sisters’ including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura. Sikkim was integrated as the eighth North Eastern Council state in 2002. Today, quite rightly, The Government has initiated and implemented several initiatives to promote entrepreneurship in North-Eastern Region. Very definite steps have been taken for improvement in enabling environment and vibrant ecosystem to encourage entrepreneurs to tap the potential of the region.
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
The Ministry is engaged in planning and execution and monitoring of various developments related schemes in North East Region of India. The Ministry is solely responsible for the socio- economic development of the region.
https://mdoner.gov.in/
Government Schemes & Incentives for Women Entrepreneurs in Tripura
> Swavalamban
Swavalamban is a Self-employment Generation Programme (SEGP) initiated by the State Government of Tripura. The aim is to ensure that a sizeable number of unemployed youth and SHGs are developed as potential individual or group entrepreneurs so that they can take up gainful self-employment. The Programme was initially launched in July 2001, but has since been expanded in its scope in 2005-06. A Swavalamban Society has been constituted for effective implementation of the Programme. The SHGs component of the Programme is being implemented through RD Department and the Self-employment Programme (SEP) component is being implemented by Industries & Commerce Department through the DICs. The main components of the Programme are Skill Up gradation and Financial Support (where necessary).
The existing Guideline of Swavalamban Scheme has been revised in 2019-20, and since then applications will be received online.
> Women Policy 2022
In a move to empower the women and to made them self-reliant, the Tripura government launched ‘Women Policy 2022’ – a scheme for the women.
The policy provides 33% reservation in all state government jobs and outsourced manpower in future vacancies.
An amount of Rs 400 crore has been kept aside for ‘Women Policy 2022’.
Elaborating the action plan of the policy, it offers – three percent interest for educational loans in higher studies, 50 percent reservation for women in government market stalls and shopping complexes, Rs 10 crore to be spent for 13 women health and wellness centres along with integrated one stop centre, among other benefits. It also involved a 50 percent reservation for women in government market stalls and shopping complexes as well as 50 percent earmarking of funds for women entrepreneurs in the Venture Capital Funds being set-up by the state government.
Source:
Other Links:
https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/state-startup-policies.html
https://tripura.gov.in/schemepage
https://www.northeasttoday.in/2022/03/09/tripura-government-disburses-rs-400-crores-under-state-policy-for-women-empowerment-2022/
Government Schemes & Incentives for Women Entrepreneurs in Manipur
Women-owned businesses in the state are limited in their economic growth due to barriers such as patriarchal norms, access to market, access to formal finance, a large informal economy, lack of supporting infrastructure in packaging, logistics and warehousing, low integration with e-commerce and external markets and difficulties for the women entrepreneur to balance domestic duties and business responsibilities.
Women entrepreneurs in the traditional sectors, such as handloom, have been able to upscale
by adhering to strategies such as increasing business opportunities through unique design or process innovation which will increase demand for their products, resolve human resource challenges by teaming up with women with similar vulnerabilities and by establishing networks of solidarity through skill development and use of fair benefit-sharing arrangements and access capital through a wide range of channels such as subsidised government programmes,
suppliers credit and traditional credit institutions in combination with micro-credit.
> Start-up Manipur scheme
The government of Manipur is committed to create a Startup eco-system in the state by providing the right resources and the platform.
Selected Startups have to pitch their business idea in front of a panel in the Manipur Startup. A jury of panels consisting of MEN, EDC, state representative will select the startup based on their pitch, business plan, feasibility, scalability and budget.
To strengthen the start-up culture in the State of Manipur, it was decided to fostering greater social acceptance and recognition of promising start-ups, through strategic investment, policy interventions and such other programmes. This includes encouraging and inspiring the youth of Manipur to actively consider entrepreneurship as a career choice; this can be done by including appropriate learning modules, developing relevant entrepreneurship development programs in vocational institutions, and supporting outreach programs, interactions with entrepreneurs, e- cells and entrepreneurship development centres across educational institutions in the State.
This also supports and strengthens existing business incubators & accelerators in the State;
and also encourages setting up new business incubators in the State in collaboration with
private sector.
The idea here is to continuously provide enabling mechanisms to start-ups, through training and skill development, capacity building, networking, access to knowledge & support services, etc.; to implement a supportive regulatory framework that enables hassle-free and time bound
statutory clearances and to provide appropriate infrastructural support required to enable start-ups to set up and grow rapidly; to create a platform for accessing multiple avenues that provide financial support to start-ups in Manipur, like grants, bank loans, fiscal incentives, etc.; and to create enabling environment and supporting eco-system that facilitates 1000 start-ups in next five years.
The growth of start-ups would be largely sector-agnostic; it would be appropriate to give added focus to areas particularly suitable for Manipur. Entrepreneurship initiatives that enable
sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development across the whole State. Entrepreneurship development activities that leverage the natural resources, human skills and other strength areas of the State. Innovative ideas, new business domains and sectors that have high future growth potential would be encouraged, specially for sectors and capabilities that can catalyze growth across multiple industries, or can have a multiplier effect.
Source:
https://startupmanipur.in/about-us/ https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/state-startup-policies.html
https://easternmirrornagaland.com/manipur-empowering-women-to-strengthen-livelihood-biren-singh/
https://startupmanipur.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Startup-Scheme-Guidelines.pdf
http://epao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=announcements.Ann_2022.Women_Entrepreneur
_Network_in_Manipur_Nagaland_launched_20220419
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
