Mahila Ikai LUB Jalandhar held its regular monthly meeting in February at Gymkhana Club, Jalandhar, attended by key office bearers and members, including Seema Dhumal (State Incharge, Women’s Work, LUB Punjab), Neetu Nanda (Joint General Secretary), Pallavi Thakur (Joint General Secretary), Saroj Thakur (Treasurer), and several other members. The meeting was presided over by Aarti Sachdeva, President of Mahila Ikai Jalandhar, who extended a warm welcome to the keynote speaker, PIS Gurmeet Kaur Ji (Assistant Director / Functional Manager, DIC Jalandhar), along with state incharge Seema Dhumal and other dignitaries. The session began with the traditional lighting of lamps and floral tributes to Bharat Mata, reinforcing the cultural and patriotic ethos of the gathering.
The keynote session focused on the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), where PIS Gurmeet Kaur Ji provided a detailed overview of how women entrepreneurs can leverage this scheme to establish and expand their businesses. She elaborated that PMEGP offers subsidized loans, ensuring financial assistance even for less-educated individuals. For instance, an 8th pass individual can avail a manufacturing loan of up to ₹20 lakh, while graduates can receive up to ₹50 lakh. For service-oriented businesses, loans are available up to ₹20 lakh. She highlighted the subsidy structures, stating that women entrepreneurs receive 15% subsidy in urban areas and 25% in rural areas, while general entrepreneurs get 25% in rural areas and 35% in urban locations. The scheme also mandates an Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) training, available in Nijatam Nagar, Jalandhar, and online via the PMEGP E-Portal. Upon completion, a certificate and appreciation letter are generated through the portal. Furthermore, to qualify for subsidy benefits, the loan tenure must be a minimum of three years, with repayment spread over 36 installments, though banks typically sanction it for five years, extendable up to seven years if required.
During the discussion, the upcoming NSIC scheme was also introduced, which requires a minimum of 45% participation from women entrepreneurs. However, Punjab currently struggles to meet even a 20% participation rate. The keynote speaker encouraged Mahila Ikai LUB to compile a list of its members to ensure they receive direct invitations to NSIC programs and other government initiatives. She also shed light on several other financial support schemes available through the ADC office, especially for rural entrepreneurs. Additionally, she mentioned that interest-free funds for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) like LUB can be accessed to promote financial independence among women entrepreneurs.
State Incharge, Seema Dhumal, extended her greetings on the occasion of Basant Panchami and praised Mahila Ikai Jalandhar for consistently organizing monthly meetings, which she emphasized as an essential part of LUB’s six core activities. She reiterated that these gatherings serve as a crucial platform for MSMEs to raise concerns, which are subsequently conveyed to state and national leadership for resolution. She highlighted that LUB operates over 1,000 units across India, with more than 50 dedicated Mahila Ikai units, all working towards empowering women entrepreneurs. These meetings not only address business challenges but also facilitate interactions with government officials and subject matter experts, ensuring that members stay informed about relevant government policies and subsidy schemes.
She further reflected on the success of the Swayamsiddha Exhibition, which was conceptualized to strengthen women's entrepreneurial presence. In a similar effort, last month’s meeting featured IES Ishita Thaman Ji (Deputy Director, MSME DFP Ludhiana), who provided insights into various MSME schemes and facilitated applications for the Yashaswini Scheme. This initiative aims to collect data on the domains where women entrepreneurs are most active, helping policymakers design targeted support programs for their benefit. The completed forms for the Yashaswini Scheme have been submitted as per requirements in PDF format.
Expressing gratitude to PIS Gurmeet Kaur Ji, Seema Dhumal assured that Mahila Ikai LUB Jalandhar will continue collaborating with DIC and other government agencies to ensure that women entrepreneurs fully benefit from existing and upcoming government schemes. The broader goal is to empower women to transition from job seekers to job providers, contributing to the overall economic growth.
The meeting concluded with a networking lunch, fostering informal discussions and strengthening community bonds among the members.
Warm regards,
Seema Dhumal
State Incharge, Women’s Work
LUB Punjab
