Maharashtra government hopes to attract an investment of Rs 20,000 crore exclusively from women enterprises during 2017-2022 period in response to its industrial policy for women entrepreneurs, released last week.
According to State Industries Minister Subhash Desai, the government is expecting an investment from women entrepreneurs in the field of textiles, plastic, imitation jewellery and food processing between 2017 and 2022. This will lead to creation of one lakh jobs. A women entrepreneur would get a financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 1 crore in proportion of 15 per cent to 35 per cent of the capital investment of the project at a subsidised rate of interest of upto 5 per cent. The projects will get electricity at subsidised rate of Rs 1-2 per unit, instead of Rs 7-8 per unit charges for industries."
State Development Commissioner Harshdeep Kamble said the regulatory environment in Maharashtra is very friendly and the government will go that extra mile to facilitate the growth of women entrepreneurs. "The recent policy announced for women entrepreneurs will be a paradigm shift by providing subsidy in interest to women entrepreneurs,'' he noted.
Desai said land will be reserved for women industrialists in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation areas across the state. "As per the policy, to make a market for women entrepreneurs, spaces will be kept reserved to display the products in various public places, malls, railway stations, bus stations, airports, movie theatres, foot over bridges, sub-way or commercial complexes. The woman and child development department will also keep aside Rs 50 crore for the policy, which will be valid for 5 years or till further directives issued by the industries department,'' he added.
Indian Merchants Chamber director general Arvind Pradhan said it is Maharashtra's 'Eureka' moment to have become the first Indian state by announcing a special policy for women entrepreneurs. "In India, almost 50% working women are employed in agriculture while only 20% are in manufacturing and 30% in services. Unemployment rates range between 17% and 22% for young women. Hence, a policy to boost entrepreneurship among women who are given capital grant of upto Rs 1 crore is laudable. This will only create jobs but ensure that Maharashtra emerges as a trail blazer among all states for women empowerment,'' he opined.
According to Pradhan, the policy will give impetus for construction of additional building spaces in malls and commercial buildings for exclusive women owned enterprises.
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