Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), the sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY NRLM) is being implemented with the objective of helping members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) to setup small enterprises in rural area under non-farm sector.

EDII is functioning as the National Resource Organisation (NRO) and is currently implementing the programme in 80 blocks across 15 States.

Major Highlights during January to March 2022:

• An exposure visit was conducted for the Block Resource Centre (BRC) members and Community Resource Persons-Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EPs) of the BRC Puri Sadar Block to SVEP Block Mahakalpada (Odisha) on 5^th January 2022. During the visit, members of both the blocks interacted with each other and shared the good practices adopted in their respective blocks.

• In Thetaitanger Block of Jharkhand, Mr. Sushant Gaurav (IAS) District Collector, Simdega along with Ms. Manisha Sancha, District Project Manager and Ms. Sanjita Kerketta, District Manager skills non-farm visited SVEP supported enterprises of Common Service Centre, Oil Mill and Amrit Jal Dhara on 18^th January 2022. The visit led to an understanding on the support received by the beneficiaries and the current status of their enterprises. Mr. Sushant Gaurav (IAS) District Collector, Simdega, District Collector talked about new growth avenues, focussing on expansion and diversification of these enterprises. He discussed how a winning path could be carved.

• An FSSAI camp for awareness and felicitation of SVEP entrepreneurs was organized on 15th March 2022 at Nandigram GP of Nandigram 1 block, East Medinipur District, West Bengal. In the event, more than 50 participating SVEP entrepreneurs were oriented by the FSSAI team regarding food, hygiene, safety and measures to be adopted and observed in their respective enterprises. After the orientation session, the FSSAI team visited the General Store, Tea Shop, and Fast Food shops promoted under SVEP in Nandigram Gram Panchayat and certified 13 enterprises under FSSAI.

She fought, she persisted, she succeeded…

Poonam Surin has reasons to pride on her achievements. The 37-year old is the first woman from the tribal community of Gargarbahar, a minuscule village in Thetaitangar block of Simdega district in Jharkhand, to complete her graduation.

Being a graduate, Poonam wanted to start a career of her own and become financially independent. She is a part of the Gulab SHG and has been regularly saving since she joined the SHG in 2015. She acquired computers skills after her graduation and came up with the idea of starting a customer service center to provide online services to local people such as online government e-services like – Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Money Remittances, Money Withdrawal, Account opening, Insurance and Income certificate related formalities etc.

She approached the BRC with her plan. Slightly hesitant, she spoke about the inadequacies and fears as an entrepreneur, and expressed how she looked forward to enhancing her skills. She was helped in improving her entrepreneurial skills and with the help of CRP-EP, the business plan was prepared and submitted to the BRC. The committee sanctioned a loan of Rs 1,00,000 from the SVEP CEF to help her set up a bank services point. This is the first customer service center in Thetaitangar block which is completely run by a woman. More than 100 people use this customer service point every day. She charges a nominal fee for the online services and also earns a percentage of the money transactions made via their center. Profits depend on the number of daily transactions. The average income on a given day ranges between Rs. 1200 to 1500.

During the lockdown period due to COVID 19, her business did suffer on account of reduced number of transactions. But she managed to continue with proper safety measures and by educating her customers how compliances with proper measures could keep them safe and at the same time ensure that their work continues well. Her prudent thinking and hard work helped her survive the dificult times and ensured a regular flow of work.

Poonam expresses her gratitude to EDII for standing by her at all times.