The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been promoting rural enterprises through multi-level support. It arranges training programmes for self-help groups, helps them get credit from banks and facilitates marketing their products in trade fairs, said K. Subramanian, District Development Manager, NABARD, Thanjavur.
Inaugurating a Micro Enterprises Development Programme (MEDP) on making millet food items, organised by Dhan Foundation with the support of NABARD, he said that bank has launched a web portal to facilitate marketing products of rural artisans globally. N.Balu, Assistant General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, advised participants to ensure quality of their products so that they can approach departments, banks and other institutions to open a small outlet or mobile units to sell their products. There was an improvement in socio-economic status of the trainees after acquiring the skills through MEDP. Though MEDP was intended to promote micro enterprises in rural areas, there are instances where beneficiaries get employment before they start their own unit. After gaining sufficient hands-on experience, they take up their own enterprises independently or jointly as group, said Meenakshi, Regional Coordinator, Dhan Foundation.
MEDPs offer a 13-day intensive skill based training to SHG members with the help of experienced artisans and professionals in the respective fields.