Formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs): SHG formation is an established phenomenon in cluster rejuvenation. SHGs thus formed in these clusters have helped weavers and artisans to face market pressures.
Common Facility Centres: EDII helps establish Common Facility Centres to enable entrepreneurs to access latest facilities and benefit from economies of scale and scope.
Capacity Building: Interventions in Design Development, Lean Manufacturing and Technology
The objective of the capacity building activity has been three fold- to create awareness among the entire community on the cluster development program, build required skills of all the stake holders in the cluster, and increase productivity of the cluster. Business and manufacturing practices, design development, marketing and sales have registered significant improvement through these workshops.
Market Linkage
Buyer-seller meets were regularly organised to facilitate linkages with up market buyers as also designers who are in tune with the needs of the market. This improved the marketability of the products by bringing them in the mainstream markets.
Technology Up-gradation Cluster centric
Technology up-gradation approach focused on process improvement and infrastructure establishment, appropriate processes and technologies were procured for the benefit of cluster entrepreneurs.
Financial Linkage
One of the problem areas that emerged in the diagnostic study was the lack of credit availability to the artisan-entrepreneur in view of their low credit worthiness. Bank linkages were facilitated to artisans’ collectives.
National Resource Agency for the Start Up village Entrepreneurship Programme – The Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme was announced by the Hon’ble Finance Minister in the budget speech 2014-15. The Programme envisages creation of sustainable self-employment opportunities for a large number of rural youths, thus enabling them to engage with the market and help generate wealth locally. The project also looks forward to bringing banks and financial institutions closer to the village entrepreneurs. EDII, as National Resource Organization (NRO), is implementing the project in ten states of the country. The three Blocks identified in Madhya Pradesh would be monitored by the Bhopal office.
Technical Agency of KVIC for Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) & Khadi Reform Development Programme (KRDP) – With a view to making the traditional industries more productive and competitive and facilitating their sustainable development and to revitalise the Khadi & Village Industries, KVIC has been implementing comprehensive programmes SFURTI and ADB assisted KRDP. Established national-level institution with proven expertise in artisanal and small enterprise cluster development, office has been engaged as Technical Agency (TAs) to provide close handholding and implementation support to the development of Terracota cluster in District Betul (Madhya Pradesh), Food Processing Cluster in District Pratapgarah (Rajasthan), Leather Cluster in District Jalore (Rajasthan) under SFURTI and Food processing cluster in Udaipur (Rajasthan) under KRDP.
Skill Development Training Programmes to Impart Employable Skills to Youth: These programmes adopted a comprehensive approach to help young men and women integrate into the mainstream. The specially designed programmes include skill training, aligning their skills and competencies to relevant training, leadership training and introducing them to the benefits and rewards of entrepreneurship.
Skill Development Programmes under Corporate Social Responsibility: CSR has become fundamental to the operations of several corporates. EDII’s Bhopal office has undertaken significant programmes and projects to uphold result-oriented advocacy for social change. Skill Development Programmes for youths from humble backgrounds and to train women to adopt the role of charioteers have been successfully undertaken under CSR of BHEL Ltd. (Bhopal).
Training of Trainers: To assist the SHG’s to reach to the third stage of evolution i.e. to take up economic activity for income generation after Group formation and Capital formation, The Office has trained a cadre of supervisors of Women and Child Development Department of Rajasthan by exposing them to the comprehensive Entrepreneurship Development process and equipped them to facilitate the SHG’s to link them with economic activities
Evaluation and Research: Research and evaluation takes a front seat so as to match pace with the vicissitudes of markets and the need to review the curriculum and design of projects and programmes for enhancing result-orientedness. The projects undertaken by the Bhopal office include:
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Verification and concurrent evaluation of the units set up under PMEGP in MP and Rajasthan
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GTZ supported study on Survey of Regional Clusters – Value chain and BDS providers: Indore Region
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GTZ supported study on Regional Baseline and SME Development: Indore Region
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Study for strengthening Core Capacity of DUDA/SUDA for promotion of Micro enterprises and Urban Poverty in Madhya Pradesh, supported by Urban Department, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh
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Evaluation Study of Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro & Small Enterprises under scheme of survey, studies and policy research commissioned by Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises, GoI
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Impact study of the schemes of the Department of Rural Industries, GoMP
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Action research for integrating Handlooms in NREGA at Chanderi and Bhilwara Handlooms Clusters