World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME) is going to pilot a StartUp India Cell on February 22.

Keeping in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s StartUp India campaign, the cell will do skill mapping to facilitate training in accordance with the requirement of a particular region.

This is being done as mere Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) and Skill Development in a generic manner are not sufficient to develop entrepreneurship skills.

“Only 20-25% educated youth are able to get job or setup their own unit after getting training in these (EDP and Skill Develoment) programmes”, says Sampa Banerjee, Executive Director, WASME.

The Association, in collaboraition with National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), is piloting the cell on a step-by-step basis.

As a first step, prospective entrepreneurs will be identified. If an entrepreneur is already into business then registration of unit will be done with District Industrial Centre (DIC), and of course under Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum (UAM).

The cell will then link the units with MUDRA and other similar financial schemes without collateral.

It is not mandatory that the entrepreneurs seek loan. The cell will assess, help and council them in developing their proposals and then, if required, they can take loan.

Along with tackling this funding problem, the cell will look after the training of these entrepreneurs.

“Right from scratch we’ll help them (entrepreneurs) in establishing their unit and sustainability”, says Banerjee.

WASME aims to replicate this across country from April onwards based on the outcome of the pilot project.