Focusing on the issues related to the women entrepreneurs and highlighting the expectations from the upcoming interim budget, Laghu Udyog Bharati's Secretary for Karnataka Priya Puranik said that the women entrepreneurs want increase of by Rs 25 lakh in the Pradhan Mantri Employment Guarantee Program (PMEGP) loan scheme.

Puranik mentioned, “We women entrepreneurs want increase in PMEGP loan scheme limit because Rs 25 lakh is not sufficient to start a small enterprise. Also, this scheme should have some criteria which should be applied only to women entrepreneurs, so that micro women entrepreneurs can dream for small enterprise.”

PMEGP is a credit linked subsidy programme administered by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), is the nodal agency at national level for implementation of the scheme. At state level the scheme is implemented through KVIC, KVIB and District Industries center.

The objective of the scheme is to generate employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas through setting up of self employment ventures.

Puranik, an entrepreneur from Belgaum, further said, “Besides, on behalf of women entrepreneurs I demand exposure visits for rural women entrepreneurs. Government should arrange exposure visit for rural women entrepreneurs, so that they can network in a better way.”

With regard to Mudra loan, she said most of the rural women are not aware about this scheme so awareness programmes should be organized by the bankers in different districts.

KNN India is running a Whats app drive in which it has asked the MSME entrepreneurs from across the country to send their expectations from the Union Budget through video messages at mobile number 8800421861. (KNN Bureau)