Assistance to SC/ST Entrepreneurs

The Plan Scheme of Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) are promotional in nature and are mainly intended to prove a wide range of services and facilities required for accelerating the growth of small scale industries in the country. The major activities, in this regard, include identification and motivation of prospective entrepreneurs, training of entrepreneurs and their workers with a view to improve their skills in the management and production, providing consultancy services in technical, managerial, economic and their aspects of managing the industries, providing facilities for tooling, common processing and testing, and assistance by giving information and intelligence in the marketing and other spheres of activities. Special efforts have also been made to induce greater motivation and encouragement to SC/ST persons for availing the benefit, of these programmes in larger proportion. The steps taken, in this regard, include the following.

Entrepreneurship Development Programmes are being organised by the SISIs exclusively for weaker sections including the persons belonging to SC/ST communities to motivate and equip them to set up small scale industrial units. They have also been given special performance in the selection of of candidates for training in various programmes organised by SISIs.

The SIDO provides comprehensive consultancy services in technical, managerial, economic and other disciplines. Such services are provided mostly free of cost. Wherever, charges are leviable, the SC/ST entrepreneurs are given 50% concession.

Regular and adhoc training programmes are being organised by the Central Footwear and Training Centres for improving the skills of traditional artisans engaged in the leather Industry.

Under the Rural Artisans Programme guidelines were issued for the organisation of promotional schemes and training programme for rural SC/ST Artisans with a view to improving techniques and tools and setting them in their respective trades to enable them to upgrade level of skills and earnings.