IIT BBS to support Odisha’s rural women entrepreneurs

Bhubaneswar: Rural women entrepreneurs in Odisha will receive structured support from IIT Bhubaneswar in business planning, product development, quality improvement, market linkages, access to finance and professional networking, following the signing of an MoU between Odisha Livelihoods Mission and the institute on Monday. The partnership is part of an incubation programme being rolled out under National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) through the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP). IIT Bhubaneswar will act as the incubation partner to strengthen growth-oriented rural enterprises across the state. As per Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) guidelines, at least 150 growth-oriented rural enterprises will be taken through the incubation process over the next three years. The ministry of rural development has approved an expenditure of Rs 10.7 crore for the programme. In the first phase, Rs 99 lakh has been sanctioned to IIT Bhubaneswar for implementation, sources said. The programme aims to build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem and self-help groups (SHGs) transition into small and medium enterprises. Identified SHG-run enterprises will be supported in securing Udyam registration as well as completing mandatory compliances and obtaining certifications required for setting up and scaling businesses, according to a statement from the department of Mission Shakti. IIT Bhubaneswar will also provide technical assistance for patents and process certifications for select products, with the objective of creating unique product identities and improving market positioning for niche offerings from Odisha. Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said the govt’s focus is not limited to making women employable but extends to grooming them as entrepreneurs. She said collaboration with IIT Bhubaneswar would enable SHG women to access technical guidance and advanced training to place their products in national and international markets. Parida termed the initiative a milestone towards ‘Viksit Odisha’ and a step towards enhancing women’s confidence and economic empowerment. She later interacted with Lakhpati Didis and discussed their journeys. IIT Bhubaneswar director Shreepad Karmalkar said incubated enterprises would receive end-to-end support for Udyam registration, regulatory compliance and enterprise certifications, along with assistance in patent filing and product certifications for select items.