National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) is a premier Institute under the Ministry of MSME for coordinating, training and overseeing the activities of various institutions and agencies engaged in Entrepreneurship Development particularly in the area of small industry and small business. NIESBUD has launched a major project for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development of 35,000 youth by December 2011 in the states of West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, J&K, Gujarat and Union Territory of Chandigarh. NIESBUD is one among several Institutions functioning under the Ministry of MSME. In its endeavor to spread entrepreneurial culture throughout the country, the Ministry is being assisted by two more entrepreneurship development Institutions namely National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ni-msme), Hyderabad and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Guwahati.

 Identifying Skills for Maximum Employment

The Skills have been identified on the basis of market needs to ensure maximum employment. The Institute hopes that at least 25% of the participants will be employed within this financial year. The main skills identified are Housekeeping & Hospitality, Retail Management, IT & ITES, Light Engineering, Fashion Designing, Artificial Gems & Jewellery and Cosmetology and Beautician. Most of these training programmes are being sponsored by the Ministry under the Scheme of ‘Assistance to Training Institutes’. The participants are encouraged to gain self employment and are provided hand holding support under the scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (RGUMY) being implemented by the Ministry of MSME. The programmes are closely monitored to ensure the highest quality. The District Administration, Industry and Business Associations, Bankers and Placement Agencies are closely involved with the programmes.

National and International Forum for Exchange of Ideas

NIESBUD has been conducting training programmes for national and International participants since 1983 besides conducting research studies and providing guidance and consultancy to new and existing entrepreneurs in MSME sector. NIESBUD has been working with different Ministries like  Ministry of Labour and Employment, Rural Development, Social Justice & Empowerment, etc. and assisting them in fulfilling their objectives.

Promoting Entrepreneurship

NIESBUD has helped Central and State Governments and their agencies in promoting entrepreneurship in their respective areas by way of guidance, consultancy, etc. It has also provided support and guidance to various countries in Asia and Africa.

NIESBUD has recently organized more than 100 Workshops in different Engineering Colleges, Management Institutions and others in order to create awareness among the students and faculty in realizing the power of entrepreneurship.  Thousands of students and hundreds of Faculties realized that the ultimate need of the country is not only to create another employee rather to establish entrepreneurs who will in turn provide employment to many persons.

Till the end of 2010-11, the Institute has trained more than 75,000 persons including 2100 from 125 countries and plans to conduct 8 international training programmes for training 200 participants from 25 Countries in 2011-12 the Institutes will also train at least 40,000 persons in employable skills and will strive for the wage and self employment of at least 10,000 participants.

* Ruby Thind Sharma is Media and Communication Officer (Ministry of MSME).
* The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of SME Times.