The Swavalambane program empowers rural women entrepreneurs in Karnataka

Some of the products are made by rural women entrepreneurs trained under the Swavalambane program. | Photo Credit: exclusive editing

Shobharani, a resident of H. Basavanahalli in Madhugiri taluk, Tumakuru district, has launched a business called PRK Products, which is dedicated to manufacturing homemade papads. Encouraged by her mother’s cooking skills and driven by her passion for cooking, Shobharani’s business grew gradually through word of mouth, earning an annual turnover of ₹5.76 lakh.

He then applied and was selected for the Swavalambane program, which is a collaborative program between NSRCEL (the first incubator) of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) and Sanjeevini – Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Promotion Society.

For the program, Shobharani received a grant of ₹10 lakh. This fund enabled him to purchase essential machinery and a solar drying unit, which ensured consistent production even during the rainy season. With additional help from the program in areas such as advertising and financial management, he grew his business significantly, achieving an annual profit of R14 lakh, a 143% increase from his initial income. “Swavalambane helped me turn my small home business into a thriving business,” she said.

Businesswomen

Like Shobharani, 150 women entrepreneurs from rural areas (SHG) from Karnataka participated in the first batch of the Swavalambane program, which ran from June 2022 to December 2024. from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, to developing sustainable business models, increasing income by at least 15%, and creating local employment opportunities. opportunities. It also sought to formalize these businesses into legitimate businesses with structured business models and improve their creditworthiness.

“Today, my operations are efficient and in line with industry standards,” said Priya Prakash Shet from Uttara Kannada state, who produces pineapple and kum syrups under her business, Ainkai Malnad Products and is also part of the scheme.

26 districts in Karnataka

Of the 40,138 businesswomen who applied for this program, 150 were selected after a thorough examination in various ways. The group included entrepreneurs from 26 districts across the State, representing 12 business sectors. The food and food products sector had the highest number of representatives (54 entrepreneurs), followed by plate making and sewing (17) and handicrafts (13).

One of those entrepreneurs is Roopa Gajendra Kolekar, from Uttara Kannada state. He owns the company Amba Oil Mill, which specializes in the production of cold pressed oil, including coconut and castor oil. Initially facing challenges in reaching customers and successfully marketing her products, Roopa received a low loan of ₹3 lakh and valuable training from the Swavalambane program. This support enabled him to grow his business, doubling his annual profit from R5 lakh to R10 lakh with a profit of R7 lakh.

For example

Success stories from the Swavalambane program have prompted other countries to express interest in extending this program to their regions. “We have just completed the pilot at IIMB-NSRCEL and we have seen excellent results. Many states, including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and several Ministries, have expressed interest in the scheme. We are yet to decide on the extension,” IIMB NSRCEL said A Hindu. In its next edition, the program will release 40,138 pre-screened applications, considering those who advanced to the second, third, and fourth levels of the shortlist.