STEP Scheme: Highlights

• Launched by: Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
• Purpose: to provide training in skill development that gives employability to women and to help women to become self-employed/ entrepreneurs.

Key feature:

• The Ministry has been supervising this since 1986-87 as a ‘Central Sector Scheme’ and the guidelines were revised in December 2014.
• It will be available for many sectors including Agriculture, Horticulture, Food Processing, Handlooms, Tailoring, Stitching, Embroidery, Zari, etc, Handicrafts, Computer & IT-enabled services.
• Financial assistance under this scheme will be:

Cost Item	Ceiling per beneficiary(3-month course)	Ceiling per beneficiary(6-month course)
Training Cost	Rs. 14,000	Rs. 20,000
Food & Travel Cost	Rs. 4,000	Rs.   8,000
Total Cost	Rs. 18,000	Rs. 28,000

• The maximum duration and the number of beneficiaries of the project are 18 months and 200 respectively. Also, 90% of the project cost can be sanctioned by the Government of India and the remaining 10% will have to be borne by the implementing agency from its own resources.
• The eligibility criteria of institutions/organisations for implementing projects are:
• Any Institutions or Organisations registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (Not for Profit) or other statutes.
• Any Voluntary Organisations or Non-Government Organisations enrolled under the Societies Registration Act or Indian Trust Act,
• Any co-operative Societies registered under the co-operative societies Act.

Questions:

Q: 1. The Co-operative Societies Act was passed in India?
A. 1910
B. 1912
C. 1914
D. 1917
Answer: Option B

Q: 2. The present minister for the Ministry of Women and Child Development is
A. Maneka Gandhi
B. Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani
C. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman
D. Krishna Raj
Answer: Option B

Q: 3. The Constituency of Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is
A. Jodhpur, Rajasthan
B. Lucknow, UP
C. Amethi, U.P
D. Chandni Chowk, Delhi
Answer: Option C