RSETIs creating bankable borrowers out of rural unemployed youth – Finds study

R R Singh (PIB)
In our endeavour to promote sustainable livelihood opportunities in rural areas Ministry of Rural Development, is promoting Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) in association with the Banks. RSETIs are unique Institutes wherein rural unemployed youth are imparted entrepreneurial skill-based trainings followed by need based Bank credit to establish their self-employment ventures.
RSETIs are fine convergence of the Government resources with business acumen of commercial Banks. While the Union Government through Ministry of Rural Development anchors the whole programme by funding and policy interventions. State Govts collaborate by allocating free land and mobilisation support whereas Banks run and manage these Institutes.
RSETIs have been proved to be very effective intervention of the Government. The uniqueness of the Institutes is that these are available at district level across the country. Another unique feature of the RSETIs is short term residential training followed by long term hand holding support to the trained candidates. The trained candidates get supported for 2 years post training wherein they are supported to establish their own self-employment ventures including credit support from the Banks.    
There are 585 RSETIs functioning across 33 States/UTs. 23 different Banks run and manage these Institutes. More than 30 lakh rural unemployed youth have been trained by these Institutes of which, around 20 lakh have started their own enterprises.
Encasing the entrepreneurial opportunities during the Covid pandemic, large number of RSETI trainees especially those trained in tailoring and sanitizer related trades, produced large no. of face masks, PPEs and sanitizers. Over a Crore of masks were made by the RSETI trainees.
To be contd... The writer is Director General, National Academy of RUDSETI , Malleshwaram, Bangalore