Women Entrepreneurs Push for Dedicated Industrial Park In Nagpur After ALEAP Visit

By: WE staff | Saturday, 22 March 2025

• VIALEW delegation, led by Rashmi Kulkarni, visited ALEAP Industrial Park in Hyderabad
• The visit prompted a request for a similar centre in Nagpur for women entrepreneurs
• The objective is to promote women-owned enterprises and increase Maharashtra's industrial development

A delegation of the VIA Lady Entrepreneurs' Wing (VIALEW), headed by Chairperson Rashmi Kulkarni, recently visited the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP) Industrial Park in Hyderabad. This pioneering effort, designed exclusively for women entrepreneurs, brought to the fore the necessity of a similar facility in Nagpur to facilitate the development of women-owned businesses and help Maharashtra's industrial growth.

The VIALEW team met with ALEAP entrepreneurs and leaders to understand the development model of the park, infrastructure, fund flows, and facilitation services. The team visited several facilities, such as manufacturing units, incubator centers, and skill development programs for women entrepreneurs. They learned about ALEAP's self-sustained model, which provides shared facilities, financial linkages, and mentorship programs.

ALEAP Industrial Park empowers women entrepreneurs with necessary infrastructure, financial support, training, and access to government incentives. Following the success of ALEAP, VIALEW has urged the Government of Maharashtra to set up a separate Women-Led Industrial Park in Nagpur. This would be a major catalyst for economic empowerment and employment generation in the area.

Rashmi Kulkarni underlined that ALEAP's model has revolutionized women entrepreneurship in Telangana by offering a structured, supportive industrial setup. An equivalent initiative in Nagpur would unleash great potential, becoming a benchmark for Maharashtra's industrial policy. With Nagpur's fast development as an industrial center, a special park for women entrepreneurs would open avenues for business growth, access to government schemes, and innovation.

VIALEW dreams of an end-to-end facility with plug-and-play infrastructure, common services, funding support, and incubation assistance to nurture women-owned enterprises. The Hon'ble Industries Minister had already announced a Women-Led Industrial Park in Nagpur prior to the elections. VIALEW is now waiting with bated breath for the next move by the Government to realize this dream. The delegation has offered its willingness to support the Government of Maharashtra by providing industry inputs and critical inputs for this project.

Furthermore, VIALEW suggests allocating area for the park in Non-SEZ MIHAN location, which is a favorable spot because it has a strategic location, high connectivity, and the advantage of available industrial infrastructure. This will result in an auspicious business ecosystem and augment the position of Nagpur as a hub of women entrepreneurs.

VIALEW appeals to the Government of Maharashtra to join hands with industry associations and move fast towards setting up this initiative. This exemplary project would be in line with national missions like 'Make in India' and 'Atma-Nirbhar Bharat,' and Maharashtra would become a front-runner in encouraging women entrepreneurship at large scale. VIALEW appeals to take urgent action in formulating this milestone project in Nagpur to empower women entrepreneurs to achieve industrial and economic growth.

The delegation comprised of LEW EC Members Dr. Anita Rao, Vandana Sharma, Poonam Lala, Manisha Bawankar, Chitra Parate, Shikha Khare, Poonam Gupta, Amandeep, Y. Ramani, Yogita Deshmukh, Indu Kshirsagar, and Tejal Rakshamwar, who were all instrumental in advocating for this move.