PM VIKAS: Empowering Women to Alleviate Poverty

July 29, 2024

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India continues its relentless fight against poverty, placing a strategic emphasis on empowering women. Recognizing the pivotal role of women’s empowerment in sustainable development, the Indian government has rolled out several innovative programs and policies. Recent key initiatives include the PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS) scheme, the Women’s Digital Literacy Program and the expanded Stand Up India scheme. These initiatives aim to enhance skill development, financial support and digital literacy for women, particularly in rural areas.

PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman

Launched in 2023, the PM VIKAS scheme is a government initiative that revitalizes traditional craftsmanship and supports artisans across India. This program contributes to preserving India’s rich cultural heritage while fostering economic growth and creating employment opportunities in marginalized communities. The PM VIKAS scheme’s primary objectives are multifaceted, focusing on holistically supporting traditional artisans. It offers skill development training to enhance artisans’ craftsmanship and productivity, enabling them to produce higher-quality goods.

The PM VIKAS scheme not only offers financial support to help artisans buy the raw materials, tools and essentials they need for their crafts but also enhances their economic prospects by facilitating market linkages. This allows artisans to sell their products both domestically and internationally. Additionally, the program encourages the adoption of modern technology and innovation in traditional crafts, ensuring artisans remain competitive in a fast-evolving market. The PM VIKAS scheme is particularly beneficial to women engaged in traditional crafts like weaving, pottery and embroidery. It provides skill development and financial support, enabling these women artisans to improve their product quality and boost their income. Moreover, the program offers a platform for women to gain recognition and access new markets, fostering greater economic independence and social empowerment.

Women’s Digital Literacy Program

Initiated in 2023, the Women’s Digital Literacy Program targets the digital divide impacting rural women in India. This pivotal program aims to equip these women with essential digital skills to fully engage in the digital economy, access vital services and enhance their life quality. It focuses on bridging the digital divide by providing extensive digital skills training. The training encompasses using smartphones, computers and the internet, which enables rural women to utilize online services, engage in e-governance and pursue new employment opportunities. To effectively reach its audience, the program operates through a network of local training centers in rural areas, collaborating with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community groups to facilitate learning and access.

Certified instructors conduct training sessions for the Women’s Digital Literacy Program, which cover basic digital literacy skills including internet navigation, online safety and the use of various digital tools and applications. The program also ensures participants have access to digital devices and internet connectivity, allowing women to continue practicing their skills post-training. This program significantly enhances the lives of rural women by providing them with the means to access online government services, such as welfare schemes and health care information. It also opens up opportunities for them in the digital economy through freelance work, e-commerce and online education. Additionally, it empowers women to connect with broader social networks, boosting their social and economic integration.

The Stand Up India Extension

Launched in 2016, the Stand Up India scheme is a government initiative designed to foster entrepreneurship among women and marginalized communities. This program provides bank loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and one woman borrower per bank branch, aimed at establishing greenfield enterprises. In 2023 and 2024, the scheme expanded significantly to enhance its reach and effectiveness. These expansions have focused on making loans more accessible to a wider range of women entrepreneurs. Changes include streamlining the loan application process, increasing the number of participating banks and providing additional support services such as business mentoring and financial literacy training.

The Stand Up India scheme now offers options for refinancing and restructuring loans to help businesses manage financial challenges. This initiative has significantly supported women entrepreneurs by providing essential financial resources to start and expand their businesses. Access to loans allows women to invest in infrastructure, technology and marketing, enhancing their business competitiveness and sustainability. The scheme also provides ancillary support, including training programs and networking opportunities, helping women entrepreneurs develop skills and connect with potential partners and customers.

Success Stories

Dr. Radhika Batra, Founder and President of Every Infant Matters, launched a comprehensive health program that empowers women and promotes deworming, breastfeeding, immunization and dispelling harmful myths. Operating in India, Kenya, Nigeria and the Dominican Republic, the teams provide last-mile health solutions to disadvantaged women and children. It distributes Vitamin A to prevent irreversible blindness in malnourished children and offer supplements to pregnant women. Its COVID-19 Task Force assisted 33,000 patients in obtaining ventilator beds, admissions and lifesaving surgeries. Committed to justice and inclusion, it works to promote gender equality.

Mamtavati, a housewife and a member of a Self-Help Group has significantly benefited from her association with the Digital Sarthak program. This initiative, which provides digital training and services, has empowered her to set up a digital center at home, offering services like photocopying and printing. Through the program, she has become financially stronger and more self-reliant. Mamtavati also conducts training for women entrepreneurs in her village and nearby areas. Her family, including her mother-in-law, husband and 4-year-old son, are very happy with the assets received under the program. Mamtavati’s dedication to staying in touch with women in the community and constantly seeking new methods to find different sources of livelihood highlights her zeal and commitment.

Bimla Devi, a traditional weaver from a rural village in Rajasthan, has seen her life transformed by the PM VIKAS scheme. Through skill development workshops, she learned new weaving techniques and received financial assistance to purchase better looms and raw materials. With improved skills and resources, Bimla’s products have gained popularity, allowing her to sell them at higher prices. Her income has tripled, enabling her to provide better education and health care for her children.

Looking Ahead

Several potential developments and expansions could enhance the effectiveness of these initiatives. For the PM VIKAS scheme, increasing collaboration with local NGOs and community leaders could boost awareness and ensure deeper reach into remote areas. Enhancing digital infrastructure in rural regions and launching community-driven digital literacy campaigns could amplify the reach and impact of the Women’s Digital Literacy Program.

Further simplifying the loan application process, providing robust business mentorship programs and ensuring banks are adequately incentivized to lend to women entrepreneurs can potentially drive better outcomes. Additionally, integrating these ongoing initiatives to create a holistic support system for women—where digital literacy training complements skill development and financial support—could significantly increase their impact on women’s empowerment and poverty reduction in India.

– Demi Olin