The government has taken a number of measures to promote women entrepreneurship in India under the Start-up India initiative. These measures include:
- Reserving 10% of the Fund of Funds for Startups Scheme for women-led startups.
- Launching the Virtual Incubation Program for Women Entrepreneurs, which supports 20 women-led tech startups with pro-bono acceleration support for 3 months.
- Creating a dedicated webpage on the Startup India portal that provides policy measures for women entrepreneurs from both Central and State Governments.
- Conducting awareness and capacity-building workshops specifically for women entrepreneurs, covering a variety of topics and sharing success stories of entrepreneurs.
- Launching the WING (Women Industrialist Network Groups) Program, which is a capacity development program for existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs.
These measures are a step in the right direction to promote women entrepreneurship in India. However, more needs to be done to create a level playing field for women entrepreneurs. This includes providing access to capital, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
The government can take the following steps to further promote women entrepreneurship in India:
- Increase the amount of funding available to women-led startups.
- Provide more mentorship and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
- Remove the legal and regulatory barriers that women entrepreneurs face.
- Create a more supportive environment for women entrepreneurs, such as childcare facilities and flexible work arrangements.
By taking these steps, the government can help to create a more enabling environment for women entrepreneurs in India. This will help to boost economic growth and create jobs.