Bhubaneswar, June 8 (IANS) The Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Bhubaneswar to support the growth of rural women-led enterprises across the state.

According to an official statement, an incubation programme is being launched under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) through the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) to support growth-oriented rural enterprises across Odisha.

The statement added that IIT Bhubaneswar will serve as the incubation partner for the initiative.

Through the collaboration, rural women entrepreneurs will receive support in business planning, product development, quality enhancement, market linkages, access to finance and professional networking.

As per the guidelines of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), at least 150 growth-oriented rural enterprises will be supported through the incubation process over the next three years.

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has approved an expenditure of Rs 10.70 crore for the programme.

In the first phase, Rs 99 lakh has been sanctioned to IIT Bhubaneswar for implementation of the initiative.

“The incubation programme is expected to create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in the state and pave the way for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to transform into small and medium enterprises. The identified SHG enterprises will be supported in obtaining Udyam registration and other mandatory compliances and certifications required for enterprise establishment. IIT Bhubaneswar will also assist in securing patents and process certifications to create unique identities for select products from Odisha,” the state government said.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said that the government is committed not only to making women employable but also to nurturing them as successful entrepreneurs.

“The collaboration with a premier institution like IIT Bhubaneswar has opened new avenues of opportunity for SHG women. Through technical guidance and advanced training, they will be able to position their products at national and international levels,” Parida said.

She described the initiative as a milestone in the journey towards a “Viksit Odisha” and a major step towards boosting women’s confidence and economic empowerment.

–IANS

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