Entrepreneurship Development of Women at Micro-Level

Abstract

Entrepreneurship helps in creating innovative enterprises, which provide the foundation for building a nation's competitiveness. It is recognized that women have to play a key role in the overall economic development of the country, thus one significant target group for promoting entrepreneurship is of women. Micro-credit is not a new idea in India. With over 11 million poor households accessing banking services including micro-credit through their 700000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs), the SHG-bank linkage programme led by NABARD in India claims to be "the largest and fastest-growing micro-finance programme of the world". Through a well-directed package of skill enhancement, credit facilities and educational inputs, women can discover their economic role and gain recognition in the society. Entrepreneurship can help women's economic independence and improve their social status. Due to modernisation, urbanisation, globalisation and development of education, with increasing awareness, women are now seeking gainful employment in several fields. Women are entering into entrepreneurship even while facing socio-cultural, economic, technical, financial and managerial difficulties. Women entrepreneurship movement can gain momentum by providing encouragement, appropriate awareness, training, environment and support. This would definitely enhance their socio-economic status of women. This paper deals with the women entrepreneurship at micro-level with special focus in the state of Tamil Nadu