Last year, Maharashtra became the first state to unveil a dedicated industrial policy for women, but the state has not yet allocated the funds for the same, alleged MLC Sanjay Dutt in the legislative assembly. Replying to the question raised by MLC Dutt, Industries minister Subhash Desai said that the state government will make a provision for funds for the dedicated industrial policy for women.
Shiv Sena legislator Neelam Ghore also demanded the state to set up an Equal Opportunity Commission to ensure women entrepreneurs are recognised in all sectors.
Desai added that the 20 per cent land under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has been kept preserved for women entrepreneurs. He said that they have called for suggestions from women entrepreneurs to make the policy more effective. He further added that all the suggestions would be studied and a suitable budgetary provision will be made in the next budget because the policy was announced in the last month of 2017.
The government aims to increase participation of women (in MSME sector) from the current 9 to 20 per cent. To achieve this, women entrepreneurs will be given capital grants, electricity grants and gains on the loan interest. While the budget for industries is ₹2,650 crore, enough allocation would be made under the industrial policy for women,” said Desai.
Under the policy, first-generation women entrepreneurs who set up micro, small or medium enterprises in the state would be entitled to a capital subsidy of up to ₹1 crore, depending on the location of the unit. Under the policy, the women-run businesses would be offered special concessions for locating their units and extended lower power tariffs, higher interest subsidies, and grants for branding their products, among other incentives.
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