₹21.40 crore initiative under DAY-NRLM to provide incubation, mentoring, grants, zero-interest soft loans, market linkages and enterprise growth support to SHG women entrepreneurs
Hyderabad, May 30: In a landmark step towards strengthening rural women entrepreneurship and building a scalable enterprise ecosystem in Telangana, the Government of Telangana today launched the Incubator Programme by SERP Telangana under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) at Komaram Bheemu Adivasi Bhavan, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
The programme is being implemented by the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Government of Telangana, in partnership with BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus and T-Hub Foundation as incubator partners, with WE Hub Foundation serving as the technical and implementation support agency.
The initiative marks a significant milestone for Telangana as a structured, mission-driven intervention to identify, support and scale 300 growth-oriented SHG women-led rural enterprises across the state. With a total outlay of ₹21.40 crore, the programme combines enterprise incubation with direct financial support, including ₹8.74 crore for incubation support and ₹12.66 crore for direct enterprise financing through grants and zero-interest soft loans.
The launch ceremony was graced by Smt. Dansari Anasuya Seethakka Garu, Hon’ble Minister for Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, Women and Child Welfare, Government of Telangana. The event also witnessed the participation of Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS, CEO, SERP Telangana and Commissioner, Panchayati Raj & Rural Development; Shri P. W. Johnson, Director Non-Farm, SERP; Prof. D. Sriram, Director, BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus; Mr. Kavikrut, CEO, T-Hub Foundation; Ms. Sita Pallacholla, CEO, WE Hub Foundation; SHG women entrepreneurs, Zilla Samakhya representatives, ecosystem partners and government officials.
As part of the official launch, the programme website, handbook and poster were unveiled, symbolising the beginning of a state-wide enterprise acceleration journey for rural women entrepreneurs.
Designed as a comprehensive enterprise growth platform, the programme will provide support across the complete business journey from mobilisation, screening and enterprise diagnostics to structured incubation, mentorship, capacity building, branding, packaging, compliance readiness, financial linkages, market access, e-commerce onboarding and performance monitoring.
A major component of the initiative is the Challenge Fund mechanism, through which selected women-led enterprises will receive catalytic support in the form of grants and zero-interest soft loans. This support is expected to help enterprises strengthen production capacity, improve quality, adopt technology, expand operations and access wider markets.
The programme aims to enable supported enterprises to achieve at least 15% year-on-year revenue growth, improve business sustainability and generate an estimated 300 to 500 rural jobs across Telangana. It also seeks to create a replicable rural enterprise acceleration model that can strengthen women-led livelihoods and contribute to inclusive economic development.
Speaking at the launch, dignitaries highlighted the importance of transforming SHG women from livelihood participants into enterprise leaders. The programme reflects the Government of Telangana’s larger vision of enabling women-led economic transformation and supporting rural women entrepreneurs to become drivers of prosperity, employment and wealth creation.
Speaking at the Launch Smt. Dansari Anasuya Seethakka Garu Hon’ble Minister for Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, Women and Child Welfare, Government of Telangana
“Under the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision of ‘Koti Mahilalu Koteeswarulu’, Telangana is committed to placing women at the centre of economic growth. When women grow, families grow, communities grow, and the economy grows. This Incubator Programme is a powerful opportunity for SHG women entrepreneurs to improve their income, scale their businesses and contribute to the state’s development. We do not want women to remain job seekers; we want them to become job creators. Our businesses may begin locally, but our vision must be global. From 300 enterprises today, we must think of reaching 30,000 women entrepreneurs in the coming years.”
Speaking at the Launch Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS CEO, SERP Telangana and Commissioner, Panchayati Raj & Rural Development
“The women here are businesswomen and job creators. It is our responsibility to support 300 strong women-led enterprises and make this programme successful. With SERP’s grassroots strength and the support of T-Hub, BITS Pilani and WE Hub, we are committed to helping rural women entrepreneurs scale from local ideas to successful enterprises”
Speaking at the Launch Prof. D. Sriram, Director, BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus
“We are happy to be part of this purpose-driven collaboration with SERP Telangana. This programme will ignite momentum in rural enterprise by helping local ideas grow through incubation, mentoring and structured support into scalable and sustainable businesses.”
Speaking at the Launch Mr. Kavikrut, CEO, T-Hub Foundation
“Women entrepreneurs from rural Telangana have strong potential to build and scale. Through this programme, we encourage them to think like startups, strengthen their business models and scale up with confidence.”
Speaking at the Launch Ms. Sita Pallacholla, CEO, WE Hub Foundation
“This programme reflects a meaningful convergence between the Information Technology, Electronics & Communications and Industries & Commerce Department and the Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department of the Government of Telangana. SERP has already built a strong grassroots ecosystem through SHG women and community institutions, and WE Hub is proud to bring complementary support in entrepreneurship, branding, mentorship, market access and business readiness. This collaboration is a worthwhile step towards helping rural women-led enterprises move from local business activity to sustainable and scalable growth opportunities.”
The event also featured voices from grassroots women entrepreneurs and Zilla Samakhya representatives, who shared their expectations from the programme and their aspirations for enterprise growth. Their participation reflected the strength, resilience and entrepreneurial potential emerging from Telangana’s rural communities. The launch of the Incubator Programme is not merely the beginning of an enterprise support project; it is a strategic step towards creating a new generation of rural women business leaders in Telangana.
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