A STUDY ON AWARENESS AND CHALLENGES OF GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AMONG SMALL BUSINESS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN COIMBATORE CITY

This study explores the level of awareness and challenges faced by small business women entrepreneurs in Coimbatore regarding government support schemes. Women-led businesses are growing in various sectors, contributing significantly to local economies. Despite the availability of multiple Central and State Government schemes aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs such as MUDRA, Stand-Up India, Udyogini, and Mahalir Loan Scheme many women remain unaware of these programs or struggle to access them due to procedural and informational barriers. The research focuses on identifying the awareness levels, key challenges, and the effectiveness of these schemes. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from selected women entrepreneurs in Coimbatore. The findings highlight a gap between the availability of government support and its reach among the target group. The study also provides suggestions to improve awareness, accessibility, and implementation of such schemes to better support women entrepreneurs. KEYWORDS: Entrepreneurs, Government Schemes, Small Business, Awareness, Challenges