Development of Sustainable Marketing Model for Urban Livelihood Generatiom Schemes

Abstract

To reduce poverty and unemployment in urban sector, Government of India has launched different programmes like Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rojgar Yojona (SJSRY) by Department of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Self Employment Programme of SC/ST Finance Corporation, Self Employment Programme of Minority Development and Finance Corporation , Bangla Swanirvar Karma Sansthan Prakalpa (BSKP), Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS), Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBA Y), State Assisted Scheme of Provident Fund for Unemployed Worker (SASPFUW), etc. Implementation of these Urban Self Employment Programs (USEPs) has achieved a considerable success in skill development and employment generation of urban poor. But at present with the liberalization of market economy, these persons are lagging behind with the modern market system. They are lagging in the quality of product, quality of skill, with poor access to market, poor marketing plan etc. To bridge these gaps and to formulate sustainable marketing model, a market survey was conducted in the selected ULBs of West Bengal for Urban Livelihood Generation Programs (ULGPs). Overall analysis of selected ULBs reflects that out of the surveyed T&CG/DWCUA members, majority (62.10%) are involved in self/wage employment activities. Out of the surveyed T &CG/DWCUA members who are involved in urban livelihood promotion activities, majority (66.55%) are involved in different kind of self-employment ventures or micro enterprises, whereas 33.46% are involved in wage earning. Out of the surveyed T&CG/ DWCUA members, only 46.52% have taken some formal vocational training. The gap assessment analysis of the various ULGPs reveals that financial bottleneck, lack of identity, lack of awareness, misunderstanding and space problem are some of the problems faced by the beneficiaries. In this context, the present study has evolved a sustainable marketing model, where the three tier i.e. state, district, ULB level action plan have been suggested for effective implementation of ULGPs.