Ministry of Women and Child Development

Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)

Brief Description:

The STEP scheme aims to provide skills that give employability to women and to provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/entrepreneurs. Assistance is available in any sector for imparting skills related to employability and entrepreneurship, including Agriculture, Horticulture, Food Processing, Handlooms, Tailoring, Stitching, Embroidery, Zari etc, Handicrafts, Computer & IT enable services along with soft skills and skills for the work place such as spoken English, Gems & Jewelry, Travel & Tourism, Hospitality. Project duration: A particular project will be for a maximum duration of 18 months, including time set aside for post-training activity evaluation. Training courses/ modules will necessarily be of shorter duration, with a maximum of 6 months for a course in exceptional cases, and typically of 3 month duration

Nature of assistance:

Grants-in-aid are given to institutions/ organizations including NGOs,

Who can apply?

Beneficiaries: Women in the age group of 16 years and above.

Eligible organizations/Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs):

• Institutions/organizations set up as Autonomous Organization under statute or as society registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 or Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (Not for profit) or other statutes.
• Voluntary organizations or NGOs registered under the Societies Registration Act, Indian Trust Act carrying out activities which promote the objectives of the STEP programme, with adequate financial and other resources, credibility and experience of the type of activities to be undertaken.
• Co-operative Societies. The organization must be in existence at least for 3 years, and have carried out activities for imparting skills related to employability and entrepreneurship for at least 3 years. At the time of application, the organization must have a positive net worth in at least 2 previous years.

How to apply?

The Ministry will invite applications for fresh proposals under revised guidelines 2014. The applications will be examined by Central Project Support Unit (CPSU). Project proposals should be submitted to Under Secretary (STEP), Ministry of Women and Child Development in the prescribed format with prescribed documents.

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Source: Skill Development Scheme