32 entrepreneurs complete NEEDS training

Get certificates after completing a month-long training under NEEDS

S. Murugaiah, Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Chennai, giving away certificate to an entrepreneur at a function in Tiruchi on Tuesday. Rev. Fr. F. Andrew, principal of St. Joseph's College, is at left. Photo: R.M. Rajarathinam

A batch of 32 budding entrepreneurs selected under the State government’s flagship New Entrepreneur-cum-Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS) completed a month-long training at St. Joseph’ College here on Tuesday affirming their commitment to translate their aspirations to successful entrepreneurial ventures.

Distributing certificates among the trainees, S. Murugaiah, Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Chennai, through which the training was organised, called upon the trainees to develop entrepreneurial competencies such as self-confidence, perseverance, and goal-setting.

He urged entrepreneurs to seek opportunities and follow them with initiative, persistence, and dedication. “Innovation, quality, and efficiency should be your pursuits,” he told the trainees. The training programme features various aspects of entrepreneurship including finance, marketing, development of business plan, and even behavioural science. Trainees were required to prepare their projects in the form of a compact disc and only those who completed the project were issued certificates.

Renuka, a trainee from Karur, who is setting up a mosquito knitting unit, said the training had given them confidence to start their business with confidence.

Rev. S. Sebastian, college secretary, urged the trainees to have a clear vision and strive to realise it through hard work and perseverance.

F.R. Alexander Pravin, coordinator, NEEDS programme, St. Joseph’s College, said the college had trained 123 prospective entrepreneurs from 19 districts under NEEDS, and the latest batch of 32 trainees were drawn from 13 districts.

Meanwhile, the district administration has invited fresh applications from prospective entrepreneurs to avail of credit and subsidy under the scheme. As many as 25 projects worth Rs. 6 crore have been recommended to banks for sanction of loans and 11 projects worth Rs. 2.39 crore with a subsidy component of Rs. 53.97 lakh, have been sanctioned so far this year. The government is extending subsidy up to 25 per cent of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 25 lakh.