Incentivising Sectors to Empower Women

The Government implements several schemes for promoting employment and entrepreneurship, under which majority of beneficiaries are women. This includes Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Stand-up India, Skill India etc. Further, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) implements a major credit-linked subsidy programme named Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for generating employment in the Country by setting up of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector. Under PMEGP, general category beneficiaries can avail of margin money subsidy of 25% of the project cost in rural areas and 15% in urban areas. For beneficiaries belonging to special categories such as scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, minorities, women, ex-servicemen, physically handicapped, beneficiaries belonging to North Eastern Region, hill and border areas, etc., the margin money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban area.Further, Under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), collateral free loan upto Rs 20 lakh is provided for women self help groups, resulting in financial inclusion of women and their economic empowerment.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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