The entrepreneurship development movement gathered momentum particularly in last two decades. During this period, efforts were concentrated on identifying, training, motivating, equipping and developing people who would not otherwise accept entrepreneurship as a career. The term ‘entrepreneur’ gained popularity during this period. The main thrust of all government policies was on the development of the “first generation entrepreneur”.

The movement was initiated by opening up of a separate wing in IDBI to provide financial assistance for entrepreneurship development and training the new entrepreneurs. IDBI in collaboration with national level institutions like EDI, SSI, SIDO, DRDA and DIC organised series of training programmes in entrepreneurship development for various target groups. The training packages were developed to fulfill the needs of the target groups.

The main components of the training programmes were:

  • Entrepreneurial Motivation Training (EMP)
  • Opportunity Guidance
  • Enterprise Launching Formalities
  • Enterprise Management

Different target groups like women, technocrats, science and technology graduates, ex-servicemen, handicapped, economically and socially backward classes, artisans and craftsmen, etc. were identified. The response to these efforts and its success rate was so encouraging that in 1980, a special apex institutions – Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) was established. The main concern of SIDBI was again promotion, finance and support to small entrepreneurs.

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Institutional support was enhanced during this period with establishment and strengthening of the network of large number of institution at the national, state, regional and district levels. Institutions and organisations like SISI, NSIC, Directorate of Industries, TCOs and SIDCs etc. have given tremendous support to first generation entrepreneurs and small entrepreneurs to such an extent that it will not be exaggeration to say that in the absent of these institutions, India would not have achieved the transformation of the economy fro job minded mental set up to entrepreneurial culture.