ABSTRACT
The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), a flagship initiative under India's National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), seeks to catalyse rural economic transformation by supporting non-farm enterprises through financial assistance and capacity-building interventions. Drawing on the authors’ direct engagement with SVEP, this chapter examines the programme's conceptual foundations, implementation trajectory, outcomes, and challenges. Evidence suggests that SVEP has significantly contributed to the expansion of rural entrepreneurship, enhanced household incomes, and strengthened women's economic participation. Despite these gains, persistent challenges, particularly in credit access, institutional coordination, and operational efficiency, limit the programme's full potential. The chapter concludes by offering recommendations to improve programme delivery, strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems, and align SVEP more effectively with broader goals of inclusive and sustainable rural development.
