SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) under its flagship initiative Mission Swavalamban, has partnered with USHA for promoting entrepreneurship among rural women. The collaboration is venturing out for setting up 2,450 USHA Swavalamban Silai Schools which will done in three phases across various villages of India. The objective of Mission Swavalamban is to shift the focus from job-seekers to job-creators. Swavalamban Schools are also present in calamity prone areas like earthquake prone areas of Himachal Pradesh, flood prone parts of Tripura. In Himachal Pradesh, Sandna Devi is amongst the top 5 highest average monthly income earning women of USHA Silai School initiative across the country. On an average she earns Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 31,000 per month. Gouri Debnath from Tripura, chosen by SIDBI under their entrepreneurship support scheme, was given SIDBI grant using which she bought sewing machines and expanded her enterprise. SIDBI extended support not only through Mission Swavalamban, but also by providing linkage with COWE (Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs) mart for selling product online.
