Women-led entrepreneurship and rural enterprise development came into focus in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the Andaman Nicobar Islands Rural Livelihood Mission (ANIRLM) marked International Women’s Day while also launching a new initiative aimed at strengthening village-level entrepreneurship across the islands.
The programme, organised under the Directorate of Rural Development, highlighted the growing contribution of women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to local economic activity and community development. During the event, several women entrepreneurs who had achieved significant financial milestones through livelihood activities were recognised for their efforts.
A total of 16 women identified as “Lakhpati Didis” from different blocks across the islands were felicitated during the celebration. These women have successfully crossed the annual income benchmark of ₹1 lakh through sustained livelihood activities undertaken under farm and non-farm initiatives supported by the mission. The recognition was aimed at acknowledging the role of women entrepreneurs in building sustainable income sources and strengthening grassroots economic participation.
Apart from individual achievers, a Self Help Group from Katchal was also honoured during the event. The Hinengo Yong Nyio Self Help Group, which is engaged in non-farm livelihood activities, was felicitated for its performance and contribution towards building community-based enterprises after successfully emerging as a Lakhpati Group. The recognition highlighted the growing role of SHGs in promoting collective entrepreneurship and expanding livelihood opportunities in rural areas of the islands.
Officials noted that Self Help Groups have played a significant role in promoting financial independence among rural women by enabling them to take up income-generating activities and participate more actively in local economic systems. Through initiatives such as farm-based activities, handicrafts, small businesses and other micro-enterprises, SHG members have been gradually strengthening their financial stability and contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities.
Alongside the celebrations, ANIRLM also launched the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), a rural entrepreneurship initiative designed to support the creation and expansion of village-level enterprises. The programme was inaugurated in the presence of officials from the mission and representatives associated with the implementation of the project.
The SVEP initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Gujarat. Under the programme, 30 candidates have been selected to undergo training as Community Resource Persons for Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EP). These trained resource persons will play a key role in supporting rural entrepreneurs by providing guidance and assistance in establishing and managing small businesses.
As part of the initiative, a four-day residential training programme has been organised at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of ICAR at Sippighat. During the training, participants will receive instruction on various technical aspects required for conducting baseline surveys and preparing Detailed Project Reports for potential enterprises. The programme is expected to equip the selected candidates with the knowledge and tools required to promote entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.
Following the training, an SVEP cluster is planned to be developed by combining the Community Development Blocks of Prothrapur and Ferrargunj. The cluster-based approach is intended to create a supportive ecosystem for small businesses by linking entrepreneurs with financial services, technical guidance and market opportunities.
The programme aims to encourage SHG members and rural youth to start and expand small enterprises, thereby strengthening local economies and creating employment opportunities within villages. Through trained community resource persons, the mission intends to provide handholding support to aspiring entrepreneurs in areas such as business planning, credit access and enterprise management.
Officials involved in the initiative said the SVEP programme is expected to significantly enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of rural communities in the islands while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities. By promoting village-level enterprises, the programme seeks to contribute to broader goals of economic empowerment and self-reliance among rural households.
The combined focus on recognising successful women entrepreneurs and building new enterprise support systems reflects the broader strategy of ANIRLM to strengthen rural livelihoods in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through community-based institutions and entrepreneurship-driven growth.
