The Ministry has been administering ‘Support to Training and Employment Programme (STEP) for Women’ since 1986-87 as a ‘Central Sector Scheme’. The STEP Scheme aims to provide skills that give employability to women and to provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/entrepreneurs. The Scheme is intended to benefit women who are in the age group of 16 years and above across the country. The assistance under STEP Scheme will be available in any sector for imparting skills related to employability and entrepreneurship as identified by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship including but not limited to the Agriculture, Horticulture, Food Processing, Handlooms, Traditional Crafts like Embroidery, Zari etc, Handicrafts, Gems & Jewellery, Travel & Tourism, Hospitality.

 

Proposals under the scheme are submitted by eligible institutions/ organizations including NGOs, and as per qualification/eligibility according to guidelines, approval/selection of projects are done. details of projects sanctioned during the last 3 years and current year and funds allocated to the various organizations for the said period and number of beneficiaries covered under the Scheme during the last three years and current year is as below:

 

STATES	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17
Projects Sanctioned	14	23	95	-
Funds Released (in Lakhs)	701.85	740.22	1173.75	597.17
Beneficiaries covered	31478	30953	15133	14859

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guidelines of the scheme are revised regularly to expand the reach of the programme and strengthen the scheme. Latest guidelines was revised in August 2016.

 

This information was given by Minister of State for Women & Child Development, Smt Krishna Raj in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

 

 

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NB/UD

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