The Ministry of Women & Child Development (WCD) has been administering ‘Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) Scheme’ since 1986-87 as a ‘Central Sector Scheme’. The Scheme was reviewed and revised in 2014 to impart training to women in modern skills as well as traditional ones, to meet the demands of changing society.
The STEP Scheme aims to provide skills that give employ-ability to women and to provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/ entrepreneurs. The Scheme is intended to benefit women who are in the age group of 16 years and above. Assistance under the STEP scheme will be available in any sector for imparting skills related to employ-ability and entrepreneurship, including but not limited to the following: Agriculture, Horticulture, Food Processing, Hand-looms, Tailoring, Stitching, Embroidery, Zari etc, Handicrafts, Computer & IT enabled services, Gems & Jewelry, Travel & Tourism, and Hospitality.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
