Special Projects Executed

RUDSET Institute has acquired expertise in conducting specific custom-made programmes for:

1. Women empowerment.
2. Programmes for SHG leaders on SHG formation and management.
3. Programmes for SHG members on entrepreneurship development, skill development, SHG management and group enterprises.
4. Capacity building programmes for NGOs involved in rural development and entrepreneurship development.

I. Capacity Building of NGOs –Training to NGO field staff under SWASHAKTI Project

‘SWASHAKTI’, (World Bank funded) project of Government of India is implemented through Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC) in four Districts of Karnataka viz Kolar, Chitradurga, Bellary and Tumkur. Building self-reliance and self-confidence in women so as to have greater access, as well as control over economic and social resources and the political processes are the objectives of the project. It is envisaged to achieve the objectives by organising the women under self-help groups under the guidance and training of NGO field staff. To achieve the objectives, different orientation programmes and training are planned at various levels for different agencies involved in the implementation of the project. RUDSETI was offered to conduct the training in two phases for capacity building of NGOs.

RUDSET Institute conducted Phase I training on “Management of Savings and Credit, Records and Registers of SHGs”. Phase II of the training was imparted on “Bank Linkages with SHGs, Government Schemes, Panchayat Raj Institutions and Role of Women in Panchayat Raj” for 160 community workers of Chitradurga, Kolar, Tumkur and Bellary Districts. Apart from the specified technical inputs, RUDSET Institute adopted innovative approach providing additional inputs on group dynamics, human relations, leadership, effective communication, interaction with SHGs and interface with Bank officials. Entrepreneurship Development Programmes for women SHG members under SWASHAKTI project was also imparted at RUDSETI Nelamangala and Chitradurga.

II. Training & handholding services in KAWAD’s Watershed Development Project (DFID funded)

Karnataka Watershed Development Society (KAWAD), a joint venture of Government of Karnataka and Government of United Kingdom has taken watershed development activities in three semi arid drought prone districts of Karnataka State viz., Chinnahagari Watershed in Chitradurga district, Upparahalla Watershed in Bellary District and Doddahalla Watershed in Bijapur District. The project funded by Department For International Development (DFID) aims at reduction of poverty through sustainable natural resource management through participation of stakeholders.

RUDSET Institute has taken up an assignment as a resource agency in Doddahalla Watershed Development Project in Bijapur district to promote establishment of micro enterprises by land less and marginal stakeholders, through intensive efforts. The objective is to identify, motivate and train 500 members of self-help groups and facilitate them to establish micro enterprises by providing escort services including bank linkages, project report preparation, business counselling, market exposure etc. Taking into consideration the target group, focussed attention was given to the envisaged tasks.

During the year, 551 SHG member/ family members were given EDP training and 56 persons were further trained in skill development training including garment manufacturing and services at RUDSET Institute, Bijapur. A total of 113 units have been established in the seven villages of the project, after the training. As a part of the project, a special programme on Entrepreneurship Development Process was conducted for the co-ordinators and field staff (28) of partner NGOs of the watershed project at RUDSET Institute, Ujire. Further, Capacity Building Training for Partner NGOs of all the three Watershed Development Projects was organised at RUDSETI Ujire and Chitradurga wherein 55 field staff were trained in order to accord role clarity of the field staff and vision building.

III. Training to Stakeholders and Capacity Building of Field NGOs under Sujala Watershed Project (World Bank Funded)

Watershed Development Department, Government of Karnataka has taken up the Sujala Watershed Development Project in five districts of Karnataka viz. Chitradurga, Kolar, Tumkur, Dharwad and Haveri. Sujala project addresses the problem of ensuring livelihood security in drought prone and degraded areas in which the bulk of the population are dependent upon renewable natural resources. Apart from the land-based activities, the project has a unique system of conducting non-land-based activities to reduce poverty in drought prone locations.

RUDSET Institute has taken up the assignment of providing training and handholding services to land less stakeholders of Chitradurga District to facilitate them for taking up non-land-based income generating activities. RUDSET Institute has a crucial role to play in developing entrepreneurship among the stakeholders/self-help group members so that the resources are better utilised and migration of labour is arrested. During the first phase, Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) to 1335 stakeholders were organised.

The staffs of Field NGOs have been actively involved in motivating these people, organising SHGs and guiding their activities. Their continued involvement is essential in facilitating Entrepreneurship Development by providing timely guidance and organising group enterprises. It is felt necessary that the facilitators should have a thorough knowledge of Entrepreneurship Development. In this backdrop, RUDSET Institute has organized Training of Trainers (ToT) to the staff of Field NGOs involved in the project.

Furthermore, impressed by the impact during the implementation of the first phase of the project, it has further extended the contract for training 1700 stakeholders in Hosadurga and Molkalmur districts of Chitradurga District.

IV. Restructuring the curricula and methodology of PMRY Training Manual

Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) is an important programme of the Government of India, implemented by the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries, to promote self-employment among the educated unemployed youth. Besides facilitating Bank loans and Cash subsidies for setting up of Micro Enterprises, the beneficiaries of the Scheme are also provided training in entrepreneurial and managerial skills to enable them in successfully running the micro enterprises. The Ministry had assigned the task of restructuring the curricula and methodology of Entrepreneurship Development training for the beneficiaries of PMRY. The revised “PMRY Training Manual” has been accepted by the Ministry. This Training Manual serves as a model to all the Entrepreneurship Development Training Institutes situated all over the country.

V. Rural Industries Programme of SIDBI

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has devised Rural Industries Programme to promote rural enterprises through identifying potential entrepreneurs, motivating them and providing a package of assistance including technology and market linkages. The programme is to facilitate better commercial exploitation of local resources and employment generation in rural areas. The RIP in Udupi district is implemented through Rural Development and Self Employment Training (RUDSET) Institute, Brahmavar unit since July 2001.

During the last 2 years, under the guidance and support of SIDBI, RUDSET Institute has :

• Conducted 48 Awareness programmes to motivate and identify potential entrepreneurs.
• Organised 6 SIDBI sponsored RED programmes to 180 identified persons
• Provided skill development training programmes to 258 persons.
• Conducted 61 follow up meets to contact 528 trained persons to ensure sustained motivation and assisting them for overcoming teething troubles.
• Provided escort services including business opportunity guidance, business plan preparation, project consultancy, business counselling services and linkages with credit and technology.

During the 2 years period from July 2001 to June 2003, a total number of 289 units have been established in the district by the facilitation of RUDSET Institute under the scheme. Total investments made in the established units come to Rs.4.37 crores out of which bank credit is availed to the extent of Rs.3.51 crores. Employment is generated to additional 516 persons in the established units.

VI. EDP for International Participants

A special EDP was conducted in English and Telugu at RUDSETI, Ananthapur in which community development professionals from Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, South Africa and Philippines participated. This EDP was specially designed for identified youth from Kuppam Assembly constituency represented by Sri Chandrababu Naidu, Honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. These youth are being developed as business as well as social entrepreneurs under the ambitious youth empowerment project.

World Corps India, Chennai, a voluntary organization having its headquarters at Seattle sponsored the training, USA committed to mobilizing young adults worldwide to become effective business entrepreneurs, community leaders and global citizens. The international participants impressed by the programme expressed their desire to replicate RUDSETI model in their countries.

VII. Swarna Jayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)

Swarna Jayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana is one of the prestigious programmes formulated by the Government of India with an objective of alleviating poverty among the rural enmasse through promoting self-employment. The scheme aims at selection of Swarozgaries from the Below Poverty Line, organising them into self-help groups training them to acquire skills to become self-reliant by providing credit support. RUDSET Institutes has played a pivotal role in effectively implementing the programmes. Basic orientation, skill training and training on SHG management has been conducted successfully along with training to ZP/ DRDA officers.

VIII. Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) – EDPs

The Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana is also a boon to the rural unemployed youth. RUDSET Institutes has been conducting special training to the self-employment seeking youth under the scheme. The candidates who come with the only aim of getting a certificate have felt that the training programme imparted at RUDSET Institute is quintessential to everyone and has accorded a fresh lease of life to them. So far, through 20 centres of RUDSET Institute, 32,211 entrepreneurs have been trained under PMRY scheme up to 30.06.2005. Out of the trained candidates, 24,816 have been able to establish their units with credit assistance from Banks.

IX. EDP for Leather Artisans of Athani

RUDSET Institute in collaboration with ASCENT had experimented EDP for Leather artisans of Athani, Belgaum District by bringing together husband and wife for the empowerment programme. Apart from the common inputs, information on group management, technical as well as design skills and management of enterprise were given through a team of management experts. Inputs on SHG concept, common fund management, credit linkage and conflict resolution helped the women in knowing the SHG concept clearly and ways of applying it in their settings.

X. Entrepreneurship Development Programmes to SHG members under SWASHAKTI project

RUDSET Institute has conducted specially designed short duration entrepreneurship programmes to SHG members under SWASHAKTI project in Chitradurga, Bellary, Tumkur and Kolar districts during the year 2002-03. The programmes were aimed at empowerment of women through developing entrepreneurial competencies, enabling them to identify business opportunities and equip themselves with skills to establish and run a micro enterprise including marketing skills. During the year 2002-03, RUDSETI centres of Chitradurga and Nelamangala have conducted 24 training programmes to train 829 women SHG members.

XI. Human Resources Development Training

RUDSET Institute has conducted exclusive customized Human Resource Development programme to senior officers and academicians. Director of Vocational Education, Government of Karnataka desired to rejuvenate the vocational education by adapting the element of motivation in vocational courses offered at plus 2 level in the colleges of Karnataka. A suitable three-day HRD programme was designed and conducted at 6 RUDSET Institutes in Karnataka to the Deputy Directors, the district in-charge of Vocational Education in Karnataka and Principals of Vocational Education Colleges. The programme proved effective in enabling them to understand various elements of HRD and equip them with motivational skills. The programme was well received and created a visible impact. HRD training programmes are also conducted on regular basis to officers of Grameena Banks and sponsor banks.

XII. Trainers' Training Programme in Entrepreneurship Development

RUDSET Institute has also conducted Trainers’ Training Programme in Entrepreneurship Development in vernacular languages (Telugu and Hindi) at RUDSETI Anantapur and RUDSETI Gurgaon for the benefit of co-ordinators of NGOs. RUDSET Institute has also trained officials from other Banks like Corporation Bank, Vijaya Bank, State Bank of Hyderabad, Bidar DCC Cooperative Bank etc. in the Trainers’ Training Programme held at Dharmasthala.

XIII. Intrapreneurship Development Programme

Intrapreneurship Development programme for the workers of Small Scale Industries were also conducted successfully to enhance motivation and managerial skills of employees besides stimulating their creative abilities.

XIV. Entrepreneurship Orientation Programmes under KVIC

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), State Office, Bangalore has recognised RUDSET Institute for conducting Entrepreneurship Development Training programme to the beneficiaries financed under REGP scheme (Margin Money Scheme) of KVIC. A total of 334 beneficiaries under the Margin Money Scheme were trained at RUDSETI Ujire, Chitradurga, Udupi, Bijapur and Mysore.