WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN INDIA

 

       

WOMEN IN INDIA:     The Indian sociological set up has been traditionally a male

dominatedone. Women are considered as weaker sex and always to depend on men folk in their family and outside, throughout their life. They are left with lesser commitments and kept as a dormant force for a quite long time. The Indian culture made them only subordinates and executors of the decisions made by other male members,in the basic family structure.

 

                                       The traditional set up is changing in the modern era. The

 transformation of social fabric of the Indian society, in terms of increased educational  

status of women and varied aspirations for better living, necessitated a change in the life style

of Indian women. 

                                       Indian families do have the privilege of being envied by the

westerners, since women here are taking more responsibilities in bringing up children

and maintaining a better home with love and affection. At the family level, the task of

coordinating various activities in a much effective manner, without feeling the pinch of

inconveniences, is being carried out by the women folk.    

 

                                       Thus, the Indian women have basic characters in themselves in the present sociological and cultural setup as follows.

 

Indian women are considered as Sakthi, which means source of power.

Effectively coordinating the available factors and resources.

Efficient execution of decisions imposed on them

Clear vision and ambition on the improvement of family and children.

Patience and bearing the sufferings on behalf of others and

Ability to work physically more at any age.

                                                       

 

NEED OF THE HOUR:     Women sector occupies nearly 45% of the Indian population.

 

The literary and educational status of women improved considerably during the past

 

few decades. More and more higher educational and research institutions are imparting

 

knowledge and specialisation. At this juncture, effective steps are needed to provide

 

entrepreneurial awareness, orientation and skill development programmes to women.

 

 The institutions available at present are very limited. Moreover, their functions and

 

opportunities available with them are not popularised much.

 

 

QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR AN ENTREPRENEUR: An effective entrepreneur requires certain

 

basic qualities, which can be listed as follows.

Innovative thinking and farsightedness.

Quick and effective decision making skill.

Ability to mobilise and marshal resources.

Strong determination and self confidence.

Preparedness to take risks.

Accepting changes in right time.

Access and alertness to latest scientific and technological information.

 

 

                                           Matching the basic qualities required for entrepreneurs and the basic characters of Indian women, reveal that, much potential is available among the Indian women  on their entrepreneurial ability. This potential is to be recognized, brought out

and exposed for utilisation in productive and service sectors for the development of the nation.                                                      

 

ACTION PLAN :       Proper planning and execution are required at all levels. Proper

 

training in right direction is to be planned meticulously.

 

The steps to be taken can be listed as follows:                           

 

              -- identifying women with different literary levels in proper groups and to create

 

                 awareness about entrepreneurship and its importance as job providing avenues

 

                  rather than job seeking ventures.

 

              -- skills to be provided to selected women group are to be identified.

 

              -- making them to realise the income generation and social status and

                            recognition                                                                     

                          

            -- giving orientation and skill training on selected trades on                      their choice  and suitability.                  

                               

            -- assisting them in preparation of project reports for their own proposed units     

                and helping them to follow up the venture to start the new enterprise.

 

            --  providing consultancy and guidance, continuously.

 

          A training capsule of around 15 days may be provided by expert institutions, voluntary

agencies and Govt.departments.The financial resources are to be mobilised to provide this type of programmes, by the government organizations like banks, public sector organizations and voluntary agencies..                                                                          

 

 

                   The higher education institutions, which are spreading throughout the country, may conduct programmes like this,regularly,in addition to their academic programmes,with or

without govt.aid.Young graduates of that area and the final year students of U.G/P.G courses may also be provided with such training.Normally,infrastructures are available with such institutions. Getting expertise and mobilizing other requirements will also be easier for

such institutions, since they are already having good establishment facilities.

 

          Voluntary agencies like Rotary clubs, Lions clubs, and etc.Govt. sponsored institutions like UGC, Science and technology Councils may interact with the colleges/universities, through financial assistance, to carry out the programmes.

 

               With proper financial assistance and effectively using them, each college/university may train 300 to 1000 youths, in the area of entrepreneurship development. When women are going to be the target groups, the benefit will reach a larger section of the society.

 

                 Thus ED culture is to be developed gradually among the women, in addition to providing educational facilities to use the vibrant women force in right direction. Thus programmes combining, technical skill and entrepreneurship skill, to selected groups, will make the Indian women more self reliant and confident and would lead them  to be envied by people at the international level.

 

TRAINING COMPONENTS :    Even though there are very efficient institutions at the national level,likeEDIAhmadabad,NSTED BOARD,NewDelhi,NISIE,Hyderabad and at State level,CED in Madurai and Chennai,TANSTIA in Chennai,such programmes are to be conducted at regional level, at the residential area of the women, in their vernacular language and to the specific requirement of the people of that area.

 

   

 

                                                                

  The essential components of such training may be listed as follows.

 

Awareness, career building and attitudinal change towards enterprise formation.

Effective training on building up self-confidence and communication skills.

Skill training on specific trades suitable to their option.

Training on quick and effective decision making techniques and managerial skills.

Training on marketing strategies.

Training on effective financial management.

Training on project formulation and implementation.

Scope for increasing access to new technologies and scientific knowledge.

Information on persons/offices to be contacted.

Interaction with successful entrepreneurs for sharing their experiences

 

Training in such areas are not going to have much financial burden to the govt., when compared to other developmental projects. This type of programmes can be conducted in all the parts of the country. A consistent and continuous effort in this project will add more dimensions Indian women and their empowerment. and to the economic development of the nation as a whole.

 

                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      6

 

                                 APPENDEX-1

         

 Suggested list of appropriate areas suitable to Indian women entrepreneurs:

                 - Food products manufacturing

                  -Food processing and preservation.

                  -Catering services and fast food centres.

   -Interior decoration.

   -DTP and Book binding.

               -Maintenance of Dairy, Poultry and their products.

                   -Maintenance of house-hold appliances.

                  - Stationeries retailing.

                  - Manufacturing of note books and pads.

                 -  Packing & packaging 

                  -Diagnostic lab & pathology clinics.

                   - Communication centers with telecom, fax, browsing,

                    and Xeroxing facilities.

                   -Readymade garments, embroidering and fashion designing.

                   -Retail selling through different methods.

                   -Art and painting works on commercial decorations.

                   -Hiring of warehouses and godowns.

                   -Floral decorations.

                   -Jewellary

                   -Beauty centers

                   -Running old-age homes

                    And so on.

                    The list is only suggestive and not conclusive.

                                                       

 

 

 

 

7                                                                                                         APPENDIX-2

                    STEPS FOR STARTING SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES.

  Steps to be taken                                                                     Agency to be contacted                                  

                     

1. Product selection and preparation of                          District Industries Centres/Small                                                                                                                                                                

    Project report.                                                              Industries service Institutes/Tech-

                                                                                         nical consultancy agencies,like,CECRI,

                                                                                         at Karaikudi, for specialised products.

 

2. Obtaining provisional or permanent                          District Industries centre/Department     

    registration                                                                  of Industries and commerce.

 

3. For obtaining developed plots for                               District Industries centers.                       

   construction of a factory for obtaining

   sheds in Industrial Estates                                                         

   on ownership/rental basis 

 

4. If agricultural land is to be used                                Small Scale Industries Development

    for industrial purpose                                                  Corporation and permission from                                                                                     

                                                                                        Thasildar, to conclude lease deed.

 

 

5. Obtaining licenses for the plan,etc.                        Respective Corporation/Municipality/                                 

                                                                                   Punchait, where the unit is to be set up

 

6. No objection certificate from pollution                  Respective State pollution control Boards.                               

   Control board

 

7. Registration under the Factories Act                       Chief Inspector of factories and Boilers.

 

8. Finance                                                                    Commercial banks/Industrial co-op.banks.                                                                        .                                                                                    State finance Corporations-for term loans

 

9. Registration for sales tax                                         State Commercial Tax Office

 

10. Water supply                                                        Water supply and sewage Board.

 

11. Power connection                                                  State Electricity Board   

 

12. Processing controlled raw material                       Joint Director(SSI)

 

 

                                                                         

                                                                          8

 

13. For imported raw materials/machinery                The Joint Chief Controller of imports and

     components                                                            and exports                                 

 

14. Obtaining machinery on hire purchase                  National Small Industries corporation

                                                                                     (NSIC)-Regional offices.

15. Foreign collaboration                                            The Foreign Investment Promotion Board,

                                                                                      Ministry of Industrial Development,

                                                                                      Govt. of India.

16. ISI Certificate                                                         Bureau of Indian Standards Institution,

                                                                                      New Delhi.

17. Patent Right                                                            The Controller of Patent and Designs.

 

18. Registration of Trade Marks                                    Registrar of Trade Marks.

 

19. Marketing Assistance

          a) Internal Marketing                                       Respective State Small Industries                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                   Marketing corporations   

.         b) Export Marketing                                        Export Promotion Council/Cells;

                                                                                   Trade Development Authority; State

                                                                                   Trading corporation; Export credit                                                                                      

                                                                                   Guarantee Corporation and Export

                                                                                    Inspection Agency.

 

20. Testing, Training and other extension                 Small Industries Service Institutes and

      facilities                                                                Regional Testing Laboratories.

 

21. Product development Assistance                          Project and product development centers 

 

 

 

References :        .1.  Lalitha Iyer : Women entrepreneurs-Challenges And Strategies

                                                                    Frederic exert sifting (FES), New Delhi.1991.

 

                                   2 .M.Soundarapandian: Women Entrepreneurship—Issues and 

                                                                           Strategies. Edited volume.

                                                                           Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi.1999.

 

                                    3. S.S.Khanka  :               Entrepreneurial Development

                                                                             S.Chand & Co. New Delhi.1999.

 

                                     4. Phamphlets from Small Industries Service Institute, Chennai. 2004.

 

                                      5. Phamphlets from CANARA BANK-Circle office, Madurai 2004.     

     

 

WOMEN IN INDIA:     The Indian sociological set up has been traditionally a male dominated

 

one. Women are considered as weaker sex and always to depend on men folk in their family and

 

outside, throughout their life. They are left with lesser commitments and kept as a dormant force

 

for a quite long time. The Indian culture made them only subordinates and executors of the

 

decisions made by other male members,in the basic family structure.

 

                                       The traditional set up is changing in the modern era. The

 

transformation of social fabric of the Indian society, in terms of increased educational

 

status of women and varied aspirations for better living, necessitated a change in the life style

 

of Indian women.

 

                                       Indian families do have the privilege of being envied by the

 

westerners, since women here are taking more responsibilities in bringing up children

 

and maintaining a better home with love and affection. At the family level, the task of

 

coordinating various activities in a much effective manner, without feeling the pinch of

 

inconveniences, is being carried out by the women folk.    

 

                                                                   Thus, the Indian women have basic characters in themselves in the present sociological and cultural setup as follows.

 

Indian women are considered as Sakthi, which means source of power.

Effectively coordinating the available factors and resources.

Efficient execution of decisions imposed on them

Clear vision and ambition on the improvement of family and children.

Patience and bearing the sufferings on behalf of others and

Ability to work physically more at any age.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            2

 

 

NEED OF THE HOUR:     Women sector occupies nearly 45% of the Indian population.

 

The literary and educational status of women improved considerably during the past

 

few decades. More and more higher educational and research institutions are imparting

 

knowledge and specialisation. At this juncture, effective steps are needed to provide

 

entrepreneurial awareness, orientation and skill development programmes to women.

 

 The institutions available at present are very limited. Moreover, their functions and

 

opportunities available with them are not popularised much.

 

 

QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR AN ENTREPRENEUR: An effective entrepreneur requires certain

 

basic qualities, which can be listed as follows.

Innovative thinking and farsightedness.

Quick and effective decision making skill.

Ability to mobilise and marshal resources.

Strong determination and self confidence.

Preparedness to take risks.

Accepting changes in right time.

Access and alertness to latest scientific and technological information.

 

 

                                           Matching the basic qualities required for entrepreneurs and the basic

 

characters of Indian women, reveal that, much potential is available among the Indian women

 

 on their entrepreneurial ability. This potential is to be recognized, brought out

 

and exposed for utilisation in productive and service sectors for the development of the nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         3

 

 

ACTION PLAN :       Proper planning and execution are required at all levels. Proper

 

training in right direction is to be planned meticulously.

 

The steps to be taken can be listed as follows:                           

 

                        --identifying women with different literary levels in proper groups and to create

 

  awareness about entrepreneurship and its importance as job providing avenues

 

  rather than job seeking ventures.

 

-- skills to be provided to selected women group are to be identified.

 

                         -- making them to realise the income generation and social status and

                            recognition                                                                     

                          

                          -- giving orientation and skill training on selected trades on their choice and                                                          

                              suitability

                         

 

                          -- assisting them in preparation of project reports for their own proposed units     

 

                               and helping them to follow up the venture to start the new enterprise.

 

                          --  providing consultancy and guidance, continuously.

 

          A training capsule of around 15 days may be provided by expert institutions, voluntary

 

agencies and Govt.departments.The financial resources are to be mobilised to provide this type

 

of programmes, by the government organizations like banks, public sector organizations and

 

voluntary agencies..

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                              4                       

 

 

 

 

                   The higher education institutions, which are spreading throughout the country, may

 

conduct programmes like this,regularly,in addition to their academic programmes,with or

 

without govt.aid.Young graduates of that area and the final year students of U.G/P.G courses

 

may also be provided with such training.Normally,infrastructures are available with such

 

institutions. Getting expertise and mobilizing other requirements will also be easier for

 

such institutions, since they are already having good establishment facilities.

 

Voluntary agencies like Rotary clubs, Lions clubs, and etc.Govt. sponsored institutions like

 

UGC, Science and technology Councils may interact with the colleges/universities, through

 

financial assistance, to carry out the programmes.

 

               With proper financial assistance and effectively using them, each college/university may train 300 to 1000 youths, in the area of entrepreneurship development. When women are going to be the target groups, the benefit will reach a larger section of the society.

 

                 Thus ED culture is to be developed gradually among the women, in addition to providing educational facilities to use the vibrant women force in right direction. Thus programmes combining, technical skill and entrepreneurship skill, to selected groups, will make the Indian women more self reliant and confident and would lead them  to be envied by people at the international level.

 

TRAINING COMPONENTS :    Even though there are very efficient institutions at the national level,likeEDIAhmadabad,NSTED BOARD,NewDelhi,NISIE,Hyderabad and at State level,CED in Madurai and Chennai,TANSTIA in Chennai,such programmes are to be conducted at regional level, at the residential area of the women, in their vernacular language and to the specific requirement of the people of that area.

 

   

 

                                                               5

 

  The essential components of such training may be listed as follows.

 

Awareness, career building and attitudinal change towards enterprise formation.

Effective training on building up self-confidence and communication skills.

Skill training on specific trades suitable to their option.

Training on quick and effective decision making techniques and managerial skills.

Training on marketing strategies.

Training on effective financial management.

Training on project formulation and implementation.

Scope for increasing access to new technologies and scientific knowledge.

Information on persons/offices to be contacted.

Interaction with successful entrepreneurs for sharing their experiences

 

Training in such areas are not going to have much financial burden to the govt., when compared to other developmental projects. This type of programmes can be conducted in all the parts of the country. A consistent and continuous effort in this project will add more dimensions Indian women and their empowerment. and to the economic development of the nation as a whole.

 

                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      6

 

                                 APPENDEX-1

         

 Suggested list of appropriate areas suitable to Indian women entrepreneurs:

                 - Food products manufacturing

                  -Food processing and preservation.

                  -Catering services and fast food centres.

   -Interior decoration.

   -DTP and Book binding.

               -Maintenance of Dairy, Poultry and their products.

                   -Maintenance of house-hold appliances.

                  - Stationeries retailing.

                  - Manufacturing of note books and pads.

                 -  Packing & packaging 

                  -Diagnostic lab & pathology clinics.

                   - Communication centers with telecom, fax, browsing,

                    and Xeroxing facilities.

                   -Readymade garments, embroidering and fashion designing.

                   -Retail selling through different methods.

                   -Art and painting works on commercial decorations.

                   -Hiring of warehouses and godowns.

                   -Floral decorations.

                   -Jewellary

                   -Beauty centers

                   -Running old-age homes

                    And so on.

                    The list is only suggestive and not conclusive.

                                                       

 

 

 

 

7                                                                                                         APPENDIX-2

                    STEPS FOR STARTING SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES.

  Steps to be taken                                                                     Agency to be contacted                                  

                     

1. Product selection and preparation of                          District Industries Centres/Small                                                                                                                                                                

    Project report.                                                              Industries service Institutes/Tech-

                                                                                         nical consultancy agencies,like,CECRI,

                                                                                         at Karaikudi, for specialised products.

 

2. Obtaining provisional or permanent                          District Industries centre/Department     

    registration                                                                  of Industries and commerce.

 

3. For obtaining developed plots for                               District Industries centers.                       

   construction of a factory for obtaining

   sheds in Industrial Estates                                                         

   on ownership/rental basis 

 

4. If agricultural land is to be used                                Small Scale Industries Development

    for industrial purpose                                                  Corporation and permission from                                                                                     

                                                                                        Thasildar, to conclude lease deed.

 

 

5. Obtaining licenses for the plan,etc.                        Respective Corporation/Municipality/                                 

                                                                                   Punchait, where the unit is to be set up

 

6. No objection certificate from pollution                  Respective State pollution control Boards.                               

   Control board

 

7. Registration under the Factories Act                       Chief Inspector of factories and Boilers.

 

8. Finance                                                                    Commercial banks/Industrial co-op.banks.                                                                        .                                                                                    State finance Corporations-for term loans

 

9. Registration for sales tax                                         State Commercial Tax Office

 

10. Water supply                                                        Water supply and sewage Board.

 

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