UNDP and DAY-NULM

UNDP and DAY-NULM joined hands to empower women entrepreneurs in India.

Aim:

• provide support for women looking to start or expand their own enterprises in various sectors, such as care economy, digital economy, electric mobility, waste management, food packaging and more.
• To enhance the implementation of national-level schemes for urban poverty alleviation and livelihood promotion by providing capacity building support to DAY-NULM.
• To pilot innovative solutions, particularly in the care economy domain, to address the challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs.
• Coverage and Time Span:
• The project will cover eight cities in the initial phase and will span over three years, with the possibility of extension beyond 2025.

Role of UNDP:

• UNDP will offer national-level capacity building support to DAY-NULM, focusing on knowledge generation and management, such as compiling compendiums of best practices related to urban poverty.
• UNDP and DAY-NULM will jointly engage in on-ground mobilization activities that involve identifying pockets of urban poverty and potential entrepreneurs, as well as facilitating access to business development services.
• developing community business mentors called Biz-Sakhis in selected project locations.
• These mentors can support new and existing enterprises and serve as a resource for DAY-NULM at a later stage.

 Importance:

• Today, women account for only 15% of the total entrepreneurs in India. By increasing this number, the partnership not only empowers women, but also accelerates economic growth and ensures a happy and healthy society.
• The partnership leverages UNDP’s experience in linking over 200,000 women with better employment opportunities, and DAY-NULM’s mandate of uplifting urban communities through sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Initiatives Related to Women Entrepreneurship in India:

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana : offers collateral free loans.

• The Dena Shakti Scheme – loans up to ₹20 lakh for women entrepreneurs in agriculture, manufacturing, micro-credit, retail stores, or small enterprises.
• The scheme also provides a concession of 0.25% on the rate of interest.
• Stand Up India Scheme to leverage the institutional credit structure to reach out to the underserved sector of people such as SCs, STs and Women Entrepreneurs.
• Stree Shakti Yojana and Orient Mahila Vikas Yojana support women who have majority of ownership in the business.
• Women who want to enroll themselves in catering business can attain loan via the Annapurna Yojana.

Practice Questions for Prelims

Under which ministry is the DAY-NRLM launched?

(a) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
(b) Ministry of Rural Development
(c) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(d) Ministry of Jal Shakti

Ans. b)

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