On July 30, Jharkhand took a defining step towards grassroots economic transformation, launching the Jharkhand Incubator Programme to empower SHG entrepreneurs across the state. Approved by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, the programme is being implemented by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park with support from the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS).
The launch was graced by Hon’ble Minister, Department of Rural Development, Govt of Jharkhand, Smt. Deepika Pandey Singh; Shri Manoj Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Govt. of Jharkhand; Smt. Garima Singh, IAS, MD, Jharcraft; Shri Ananya Mittal, IAS, CEO, Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society, and brought together some of India’s leading voices in innovation and rural enterprise, including Shri Himanshu Joshi, Program Director, Atal Innovation Mission, and Shri Osama Manzar, Founder and Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation. Shri Joshi spoke about the large presence of rural innovators in the districts of Jharkhand and how they could be supported to develop enterprises, while Shri Manzar elucidated the active role of thousands of rural women Soochnapreneurs in taking digital solutions to the last mile while creating sustainable and profitable entrepreneurial pathways for themselves.
Professors from IIM Calcutta brought distinct and complementary perspectives to the conversation on unlocking rural women’s entrepreneurial potential. Prof. Vimal Kumar M, Asst. Professor, MIS Group, took the audience through how AI can offer practical, easy-to-adopt solutions tailored to the realities of rural women entrepreneurs. Prof. Ramendra Singh, Professor of Marketing, followed with insights on brand building, focusing on positioning state-promoted brands such as Palash, Adiva and Jharcraft for wider market reach.
On July 31, over 105 Block Project Managers and 24 District Project Managers came together for an orientation on the programme led by Gaurav Kapoor, CBO, IIMCIP, along with hands-on training on the application process.
For IIMCIP, the Jharkhand Incubator Programme reaffirms our commitment to bringing industry-standard support to the regions and communities that need it most –Â where the potential for socio-economic impact is greatest.