The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP) envisages the promotion of rural livelihoods through community-led enterprise promotion at the block-level. In a country like India, where more than 90% of the population is dependent on the unorganized sector as a means for livelihood, it is important to create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs are equipped with adequate business skills, get incubation support and are provided with necessary financial assistance. It is with this mandate, SVEP intends to support 1.82 lakh village enterprises, in 125 blocks across 24 states in a span of four years from 2015 to 2019. The program will benefit households and communities beyond financial gains by helping the rural population, especially the most marginalized, SC, ST and women to gain a sense of dignity and self-reliance.
Kudumbashree NRO has been entrusted to support 53 blocks across eight states under SVEP.
The scope of its work will include the following
▹ To help rural poor come out of poverty by helping them set up enterprises and provide support till the enterprises stabilize.
▹ To provide entrepreneurs with business skills, exposure to new ideas, financial linkages and other necessary business support.
▹ Using NRLM SHGs/federations as supporting structure during first critical six months.
▹ Identify and train 1325 CRP – EP from 53 blocks to impart requisite support to the enterprises.
▹ Creation and strengthening of about 1,27,200 village enterprises in 53 blocks across 8 states in the first phase of four years.
Major components under SVEP:
i) Community Resource Person for Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EP) – SVEP provides for a community cadre selected and trained from the SHG network (NHG in Kerala) to be deployed to provide the technical assistance to entrepreneurs in the block. The CRP-EP is conceptualised similar to the Micro Enterprise Consultants (MEC’s) who have been trained and deployed by Kudumbashree.
ii) Block Resource Centre for Enterprise Promotion (BRC) – The Block Resource Centre is a community-owned institution which is expected to be a support system for all enterprise-related activities in the block using the MEC’s.
iii) Block Level Federation (BLF) - The Block Level Federation under NRLM will be the institutional platform for BRC-EP. It will be a registered entity and will be responsible for undertaking all financial transactions related to the functioning of BRC. The Block Level Federation will own the Block Resource Centre whereas the MEC group working in the block will be assigned the responsibility of operating the BRC.
iv) Community Enterprise Fund (CEF) – The CEF is a corpus fund at the block-level that is controlled by the community for the purpose of providing loans solely for the purpose of enterprise development. Under the project a loan of up to Rs. 1 lakh can be provided for an enterprise from the CEF, but it is recommended that loans above Rs. 50,000 be first routed through banks.
Role and responsibilities of Kudumbashree NRO under SVEP
| Implementation Role | Program scale-up role |
|
(i) Implement SVEP to establish proof of concept. (ii) Ensure mid-term course correction (iii) Develop baseline, market potential study modules. (iv) Develop process for market scoping study. (v) Create a process of doing financial feasibility analysis of new enterprise. (vi) Conduct training and immersion of the PIAs. (vii) Help develop parameters for monitoring the program. (viii) Help create software for the support of the CRP-EP. |
(i) Create standardized content and training pedagogy for training of various stakeholders. (ii) Create a repository of training material and ICT material. (iii) Create a process of certification of the Mentor CRP-EPs and CRP-EPs. (iv) Support creation of a process and criteria of identification and selection of PIAs. |