MSME Ministry Launches Three New Initiatives to Boost Women’s Entrepreneurship

• ByStartupStory     |    March 4, 2024

The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has announced three groundbreaking initiatives during the 9th Annual Shakti International Women Entrepreneurs Summit in New Delhi. Minister for MSME Narayan Rane expressed immense pride in the notable surge of women entrepreneurs within the MSME sector, revealing that over 1.40 crore MSMEs are now led by women.

Highlighting this achievement, Rane declared, “We are witnessing an unprecedented rise in women-led MSMEs, reflecting the spirit of female entrepreneurship. To further support and encourage their endeavors, Zed Certification for women-owned MSMEs is now entirely free.”

The summit, held on March 1, marked the launch of the joint integrated national campaign, ‘Panjikaran Se Pragati,’ by the Ministry of MSME and the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). Secretary S.C.L. Das, Senior Advisor at Niti Aayog Anna Roy, JS – SME Mercy Epao, and Additional Development Commissioner Dr. Ishita Ganguli Tripathy, were among the dignitaries present.

The ‘Panjikaran Se Pragati’ campaign urges women entrepreneurs nationwide to register under Udyam, unlocking a realm of opportunities. Another initiative, ‘WEP Unnati _ Udyamita se Pragati tak,’ a collaboration between the Ministry of MSME and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), was introduced. Known as the MSME – WEP Award-to-Reward (ATR) programme, it aims to propel Women MSMEs to the next level of growth by offering comprehensive capacity-building support through WEP.

During the event, the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) also unveiled its ‘mentorship platform.’ This program, centered on women entrepreneurship, acknowledged and honored beneficiaries of the CGTMSE scheme, as well as high-performing women entrepreneurs.

Minister Rane concluded, “These initiatives reaffirm our commitment to fostering a conducive environment for women entrepreneurs. By collaborating with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform, we aim to provide holistic support for their growth and success.”

The annual Shakti International Women Entrepreneurs Summit, organized by the India SME Forum and the Ministry of MSME in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurs Forum, serves the dual purpose of empowering aspiring and established women entrepreneurs while celebrating the achievements of emerging women entrepreneurs across diverse industry sectors. This event provides a platform for participants to connect with the nation’s women entrepreneurs and international experts.

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