Empowering women: The birth of new-age rural entrepreneurs
By Rajnandini Ghosh, Rashmi Guha Ray, Rishabh Chakravorty, Rubeena Ismail and Rupsa Chakraborty
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Rural women utilizing goverment schemes for self empowerment |
BANGALORE (Dec. 1)—Dark and of medium height, with four heavy gold earrings decorating each ear, 40-year-old Paittamma looks no different from any other South Indian middle-aged woman. But on meeting her, what strikes you is her spirit of self-reliance and her evident pride in her entrepreneurial skills.
Life had come crashing down for Paittamma when her husband was arrested on charges of brewing illegal liquor two years ago.
As a housewife from a remote village in Karnataka she did not know of any means to support her family. The mother of two daughters, who had no support, she thought it best to move to Bangalore, where her parents are farmers.
But it was impossible for her father to feed three extra mouths. That is when Pattaimma knew that she had to fend for her own family. She wanted to start her own business, but did not have enough capital to invest in her new venture.
Following family advice, she consulted with the manager of the Kumbalgudu Cooperative Bank and took a loan of Rs. 40,000 at an interest rate of 5 percent.
She runs her own candle-making unit today. She can support her family’s expenditure and also pay her monthly installments of Rs. 500 to the bank.
She is helped by her two daughters, the elder of whom is 16. Paittamma is satisfied with her tiny business.
“We were starving after my husband was arrested. I just could not see my children crying out of hunger. That is when I knew that I will have to work to earn a living to sustain my family,” she said.
Plethora of support schemes available
Paittamma is one of many small-scale women entrepreneurs who get financial help from the cooperative societies and NGOs that encourage women to be independent.
According to the Third All India Census of Small-Scale Industries, conducted in 2001-02, only 10.11 percent of micro and small enterprises were owned by women, while just 9.46 percent were managed by women. A report prepared by the Micro, Small and Medium Industries Ministry in 2006-07 says there are about 1.3 million women-owned and 1.2 million women-managed enterprises in the country.
The ministry wants to give further encouragement to women to set up their own industries and increase the number of women-owned enterprises in India. A new scheme called Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development Scheme for Women (TREAD) is about to be implemented which will grant 30 percent of the total project costs to NGOS for promoting entrepreneurship among women. The scheme also aims to grant up to Rs.100,000 to train women entrepreneurs.
The ministry also plans to introduce the Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Program which aims at enhanced competitiveness, technology improvement, adoption of best manufacturing practices, marketing of products and employment generation.
Women entrepreneurs are also encouraged to participate in national and international exhibitions where they can display their skills and which will create a market and facilitate export of such units.
Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation Chairwoman Sarojini Bharadwaj has announced that the institution will start a women’s multipurpose cooperative bank, on a pilot basis from Dakshina Kannada District.
In a phone interview, Mr. Ashok, the personal assistant of the general manager of KSWDC, Mr. Nagaraj, told us that a loan of up to Rs. 100,000 can be granted to women entrepreneurs in rural areas. For people of general category, a loan of Rs. 7,500 rupees is available while Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe or physically disabled people may borrow up to Rs. 10,000. The interest is charged at a rate of 4 percent.
The corporation has placed child development project officers in every taluk to inform women about their schemes and projects. The corporation gives loans through the Grameen Bank.
Self-help group thriving
Shri Kaliamma Nagar Stree Shantisang is a group working towards women’s empowerment. The group helps women in need of money in case of emergencies.
The group consists of 20 members who pool Rs. 100 every month, and this amount is gathered and deposited in a bank. Once they have a sum of Rs. 20,000 the money is given to a woman in need for either medical or domestic reasons.
V. Bharathi Nagesh, a member of the group said, “We give part of this money that we have saved up to other women like us. They have 10 months to return this amount. We do not try to approach banks and other moneylenders because no one will consider giving us money.”
“We do not get any facilities from the government, but these Grameen banks are helping the women a lot in their business. The rate of interest in other private banks is higher. I am glad that both the government and the NGOs are coming together to help out women in distress,” said Narayan Swami, the panchayat head of Kumbalgodu.
Today when the whole world talks about women’s empowerment and independence, it is heartening to see such steps taken. The government needs to increase awareness about the availability of these schemes. After all we want many more women like Pattaimma who can proudly call themselves entrepreneurs.
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