Strengthening Women Entrepreneurs through Tourism Employment and Entrepreneurship of the Rural Women in Aurangabad

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper is to highlight tourism related business and job opportunities for rural women at tourist destinations of Aurangabad a major tourist destination. Also to investigate the micro credit and socio economic development of tourist destination in Aurangabad region, Draft Report, Volume 6 prepared in 2002 and the Project Report No. 5 (2002) Guide service and staff training, both schemes under Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Most of the tourist destinations are in rural areas like Ajanta, Ellora, Daulatabad Fort, Gautala Sanctuary, Khuldabad and Paithan. To find out whether these schemes are implemented and the women from these areas have been benefited. To find out the present status of these schemes as well as the number of women working in tourism business and jobs a stratified sample survey was used. Six tourist destinations were selected for the survey that included Ajanta and Ellora, the world heritage sites and Daulatabad Fort, Gautala Sanctuary, Khuldabad and Paithan. A total of 160 rural women were sampled. Besides the women government officials too were interviewed. The results of the survey showed that out of 160 women 130 were not even aware of the financial schemes of MTDC. 30 women were aware but were concentrated in Khuldabad were the government of India and UNDP jointly implemented the Rural Development Scheme in 2005 that benefited 25 women for starting handloom business and food products. The other 5 women are working in Paithan and received the financial assistance for starting handloom business in producing the Paithani Sarees. The recommendations for creating and benefiting more rural women from government schemes included the urgent need to communicate the schemes to rural local community through direct approach. Many rural women are interested and can be communicated through group focus interviews. The Micro Credit Scheme can be implemented through rural banks like National Bank for Rural Development (NABARD). Personal contact with these women is important so that women can start business of local products especially fruits, that are available locally in abundance. In places like Gautala medicinal herbs and plants too can be sold.

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