Joint initiative of Chhattisgarh Government and IIM Raipur to provide women entrepreneurs with training, mentorship and market access
Over 1,000 applications received from across the state; applications open until October 31
Raipur, October 2026: The Chhattisgarh Government has launched an innovative initiative to help rural women move beyond basic livelihood activities and become successful entrepreneurs. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister and Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Vijay Sharma, Atha Udyam is opening up new opportunities for rural women entrepreneurs.
The programme is a joint initiative of the Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihoods Mission (Bihan) and the Foundation for Entrepreneurship Development (FED) of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur. Its objective is to transform small businesses run by women associated with self-help groups (SHGs) into organised, profitable and scalable enterprises.
Based on the concept of “From Livelihood to Entrepreneurship,” this specialised incubation programme was launched by Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on September 11, 2026. The initiative has generated considerable enthusiasm among women entrepreneurs, with more than 1,000 applications received from across the state so far. Interested women can apply online until October 31, 2026.
Year-Long Expert Mentorship Alongside Training
A key feature of Atha Udyam is that it goes beyond providing training on starting or running a business. It will also offer practical support to help women expand their existing enterprises.
Selected women entrepreneurs will receive 64 hours of structured business development training. In addition, they will benefit from expert consultations, personalised mentorship, field-level assistance and opportunities to learn from the experiences of successful entrepreneurs over a period of one year.
The training will cover ways to improve product quality, calculate costs and profits, maintain sales and expenditure records, plan production and distribution more efficiently, and develop businesses according to customer needs.
Participants will also receive guidance on market demand, packaging, branding and financial management. The programme will facilitate connections with markets and brands and help women access credit facilities and financial institutions.
Small Village Businesses to Gain Access to Larger Markets
The initiative is expected to benefit women engaged in food processing, tailoring and garment manufacturing, handicrafts, handloom, value addition of forest produce, local product manufacturing, packaging and various non-agricultural service-based businesses.
Through the programme, women will be able to establish stronger identities for their products and develop the business skills required to reach new customers beyond local markets.
The initiative will particularly benefit women who are already running non-agricultural enterprises and wish to expand their businesses. Women who are members of self-help groups, as well as women entrepreneurs from families associated with these groups, are eligible to apply.
However, businesses engaged solely in the routine buying and selling of goods, or trading, will not be eligible for the programme.
Representatives of 252 Community Organisations Trained
To ensure that information about the programme reaches as many rural women entrepreneurs as possible, IIM Raipur has trained 252 members of Cluster Level Federations (CLFs).
These members are helping spread awareness about the initiative among women associated with self-help groups in their respective areas and encouraging eligible applicants to apply.
In addition, training for project managers at the district and block levels has been successfully completed at IIM Raipur’s Management Development Centre. This is expected to strengthen awareness campaigns in rural areas, facilitate the identification of eligible women entrepreneurs and provide assistance during the application process.
Applications Open for the Programme
In the initial phase, 250 women entrepreneurs will be selected for training based on eligibility criteria and an evaluation of their applications.
Interested women can apply through the official portal: atha.iimraipur.edu.in.
Information and assistance regarding applications are also available through self-help groups, village organisations, Cluster Level Federations, community resource persons (CRP Didis) and block-level Bihan offices.
Atha Udyam represents a significant effort to help rural women progress from self-employment to becoming capable and successful business owners. The programme is expected to strengthen their managerial skills, financial independence and ability to compete in the marketplace.
It is also expected to promote enterprises based on local resources in rural areas, while creating new livelihood opportunities and supporting the economic empowerment of women across Chhattisgarh.
