More than 26,000 enterprises have been started by the Kudumbashree under the Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) since it was rolled out in 2016-17. The programme is also being implemented in 25 blocks in Kerala, the highest in the country.
The SVEP, a sub-component of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission, envisages supporting rural livelihoods through community-led enterprise promotion at the block level. Under SVEP, existing rural start-up entrepreneurs from families within the Kudumbashree network and those keen on starting non-farm enterprises are identified, equipped with business skills to choose the right enterprise and run these, and given incubation support.
Financial support is made available by linking them with banks. Beyond financial gains, the programme is intended to benefit households and, in turn, communities, especially marginalised sections such as Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women.
