Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Launches Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana for Entrepreneurship Development

Sambalpur: Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, inaugurated the Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana in Sambalpur, Odisha, on Tuesday. The initiative was also virtually launched across nine cities, including Bhopal, Kanpur, Indore, Varanasi, Bharatpur, Shillong, Silchar, Dibrugarh, and Guwahati, emphasizing its nationwide scope.

The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of key dignitaries, including Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE); Shri Rahul Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA); Smt. Hena Usman, Joint Secretary, MSDE, and Dr. Tafheem Uddin Siddiqui, Director of Policy, Flipkart Group.

Tailored for beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme, the Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana is a National Entrepreneurship Development Project highlighting the government’s commitment to nurturing job providers across the nation. It aims to equip individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training, aligning with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of creating job providers.

This initiative focuses on reskilling and upskilling employees to enhance their competitiveness and adaptability in an era of disruptive technology. The project offers a 22-week comprehensive entrepreneurship training program, combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure through experiential learning. Training will be conducted through offline, online, and hybrid modes, with certificates awarded upon completion.

During the launch, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the project for PM SVANidhi Yojana beneficiaries would help street vendors and small shopkeepers become more skilled and empowered. He highlighted the government’s partnership with Flipkart to skill street vendors and small shopkeepers, providing training and stipends for business expansion.

Pradhan interacted with beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme from ten states, where they shared their experiences, emphasizing how the scheme catalyzed industry-relevant skill training and propelled their businesses.

In the pilot phase, the project will be implemented through 20 Centres of National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida, and 10 Centres of Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati. A robust monitoring mechanism will track progress, assess impact, and ensure adherence to quality standards.

The Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana reaffirms the government’s commitment to harnessing the nation’s skill potential and realizing the vision of a “Kushal Bharat Viksit Bharat,” promoting entrepreneurship and contributing to India’s journey towards fostering a culture of entrepreneurship.