Self Employment

The organization being set up in the picturesque rural backdrop of Dharmasthala, the rural population has always been the epicentre of all the developmental plans of the Trust. All the basic amenities were made available to the rural people and realization that the trust also holds the responsibility to garner the population, dawned immediately. Various programs have since, been started to train the locals and provide them employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Rural Development & Self-employment Training Institute (RUDSETI), Ujire

Educated rural youth have always been inclined to migrate to urban cities, as the rural areas are primarily agrarian and do not offer them too many job opportunities. Unfortunately, they are often at a disadvantage, as they are more diffident that than their urban counterparts. These factors prompted Shri Veerendra Heggade to come up with an innovative solution that would help the youth remain close to their home and still solve their problem of unemployment.

In 1982, Shri Heggade with active support of Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank laid the foundation for the first Rural Development and Self-employment Training Institute (RUDSETI) at Ujire. It adopted a unique approach to help the youngsters stand on their own feet. RUDSETI identifies opportunities, trains participants in developing the desired skills and assists them in their entrepreneurial activity. Being a highly practical concept, it caters to the needs of both boys and girls. Beginning with the highly successful pilot model at Ujire, there are now 27 RUDSET Institutes spread across 17 states. Over 4,40,250 rural youth have been trained in these Institutes. Over 73% of them have set up successful entrepreneurial ventures of their own.

Intense planning and research is undertaken to identify employment opportunities for the youth having some hands-on experience. Facts revealed by market surveys form the basis of this program. The students are not only trained in the chosen field, but are put through various exercises to instill immense self-confidence in them.

Having trained them, RUDSETI guides and assists them to start their enterprises. Once the youngsters are settled, RUDSETI continues their association with passed out students to instill in them the confidence that keeps them motivated.

Empowering the youth

Created as it is for the young boys and girls from the rural background, RUDSETI is all about empowering them with necessary skills required for starting their own business ventures. In the pre-training phase of the program, candidates are selected on a scientific assessment of their abilities. The selected candidates are then put through an induction exercise which deals with practical and interactive approach to the lectures.

Business simulation, experience sharing, group discussions, role-plays and field visits help students to learn the nuances of entrepreneurship. After fully training the students in all aspects, RUDSETI guides these enterprising students in setting up their ventures by helping them to complete the initial formalities including bank loans. Having helped in establishing the enterprise, RUDSETI continues to be in constant touch with the young entrepreneur. If by chance the business faces problems and puts the young entrepreneur through severe strain, RUDSETI supports him for 2-3 years even after training to help him overcome the problems. But such cases are rare. The students who pass out of RUDSETI continue their relationship seeking guidance whenever they run into an obstacle. Short term refresher courses designed by RUDSETI help the young entrepreneurs who have set up enterprises to upgrade their skills and knowledge.

Entrepreneurship Development Programs (EDPs)

Entrepreneurship development programs have been devised to caters to the industry specific skills that help the entrepreneurs to have a strong functional knowledge. Different rural employment opportunities have been identified and are being trained on , to foster agricultural practices, animal husbandry, handicrafts and other small scale industries that take their shape in rural areas.

Agriculture

Comprehensive Agriculture and Horticulture including allied activities, Dairy Farming, Poultry, Bee Keeping, Plant Nursery, etc.

Products Dress

Design for women/men, Making Agarbattis & Soft Toys, Food Processing & Bakery Products, Embroidery and Fabric Painting etc.

Process

Electric Motor Rewinding & Pump Set Maintenance, Beauty Parlour Management, Basic Photography & Videography, Multi Phone Servicing, Repair of Domestic Electrical Appliances, Two Wheeler Servicing, Computer DTP, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Computer Tally, Computer Basics etc.

General

Rural Entrepreneurship Development Program, EDP for Women etc.

For Established Entrepreneurs

Upgrading Skills

To improve the skills and enhance capability of the settled trainees

Growth Program

To aim and achieve high goals in life and business for the settled employees

National Academy of RUDSETI

Perhaps the greatest tribute any organization can receive for its work is being appreciated and replicated by other institutions. RUDSETI has reaped this rare honour for its selfless service to the Rural Youth.

Recognizing the meritorious service rendered by RUDSETI in the rehabilitation of Rural Youth, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, advised all Nationalized Banks in the country to establish RUDSETI type Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) in all the 600 plus districts in the country. Over 500 RSETIs have already started functioning.

MoRD is keen that all the RUDSETIs emulate the ethos, culture and discipline of the original RUDSETI. It has set a time frame of 3 years to achieve the standards of training and success (over 74%) in the settlement rate that the RUDSETIs have achieved. To achieve this, MoRD has established a separate apex body, the National Academy of RUDSETI at Bangalore. This Academy will monitor and mentor the performances of the RSETIs. In spite of being trained at the National Academy, the results of RSETIs lacked the success of RUDSETI. The original spark that laid the foundation for the success of RUDSETIs was needed. Realizing this, MoRD, requested Shri Veerendra Heggade, the architect of RUDSETI , to head this Apex Body and guide the Directors of the various RSETIs in their task. Apart from monitoring the progress of RSETIs, the National Academy under the guidance of Shri Heggade will also serve as a National Resource Organization to conduct research and development in the field of Entrepreneurship Development. It will design and conduct training programs and undertake projects in Enterprise Promotion, Rural Development and HRD.

Appreciation of the Work Done

For the selfless work rendered by RUDSETI, it was but natural for various organizations to confer awards and recognition for the success achieved by this pioneering venture. Some of them are:

  • Voluntary support by Institutions like NABARD, SIDBI and other Institutions
  • FICCI award for Rural Development in 1998-99
  • RUDSETI trained women entrepreneurs consistently win the National Award from IMM-NABARD
  • RUDSETI trained candidates have won the prestigious Citi Bank Best Entrepreneur Awards and Bharti Entrepreneur of the Year Award
  • Kannada Rajyotsava Award by the Government of Karnataka in 2006

National level SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) Award for distinguished service to MSME sector.