What Are Some Business Ideas for Women in Madhya Pradesh?

Madhya Pradesh, situated in central India, is the second-largest state by area and fifth-largest in terms of population. The state has used its geographical location to its advantage and has been a leader in business and entrepreneurship. However, MP has not been performing up to its potential when it comes to women's entrepreneurship.

Madhya Pradesh is a state with diverse opportunities across different sectors for women. With almost half of the state's population being female, the rise of women's entrepreneurship can be a game-changer in Madhya Pradesh's business ecosystem.

Here are some of the best business ideas for women in Madhya Pradesh, both medium scale and small scale. You can do some of these from the comfort of your home.

1. Agricultural Packaging

This state has an excellent scope in agriculture. Being the sixth-largest producer of agricultural products, it ranks first in the production of the gram, soybean, pulses, maise, and linseeds. Over 74% of the people depend on agriculture, and most of them produce rice.

Adequate packaging is a must to minimise wastage when being transported. You can set up a packaging firm using high-quality material and then transport the packaged rice or pulses to various market outlets for sale. This means that women can act as mediators between the farmers and the market by being chief players in packaging and transportation.

The advantage of this small-scale business for ladies is that it requires a nominal investment of around 50,000 Rupees and provides comparatively quicker returns.

2. Textile Logistics

The demand for textiles and handicrafts in the state is excellent, with most consumers looking for the Chanderi and Maheshwari Sarees. The problem with this sector is that its heritage and sanctity are eroding with time. One of the reasons is that raw materials are substituted due to unavailability.

This is where women can step up and fill the business gap. They can have tie-ups with raw material manufacturers and facilitate transportation for the same. They can also build storage and godown facilities and handle the logistics.

The initial requirements for starting up a textile logistic business would be high (ranging from 12lakhs to 30 lakhs based on various factors like location) as you have to invest in godown, trucks, etc. The entrepreneurs must also have basic knowledge about the textile industry, communication, and management skills to facilitate storage and transportation in coordination with the clients.

3. Travel and Tourism

Tourism is yet another sector that can provide job opportunities to women. Madhya Pradesh, the 'Heart of India,' has many tourist attractions right from wildlife sanctuaries to monuments and ancient temples. Women can start travel agencies, become travel consultants or itinerary planners to help foreign and Indian tourists have the best travel experience.

They can train their employees to learn foreign languages and local dialects to enrich the experience for the clients in all possible ways. Travel agencies could be online and office-based, with online mode requiring just laptops and internet connections as an investment. However, offices could be set up, and business could be carried out on a comparatively more extensive scale.

Once the business grows, entrepreneurs can hire more employees as tourist guides. This could also be considered a lucrative part-time business or side business idea for ladies who can work during the peak tourist season.

4. Jewellery

The next opportunity is in the Gems and Jewellery sector. The target population is ladies themselves. They can procure pure gold from the merchants and weld them on their own or hire skilled professionals for the same.

They can also set up a jewellery showroom by taking up the franchise of an existing jewellery brand. Sarafa Bazar in Indore is one of India's largest Jewellery markets and paves the way for more related small businesses that women can take up.

Madhya Pradesh is the only producer of diamonds, and since ladies are very knowledgeable about jewellery, this could be one of the best business ideas for women in Madhya Pradesh. However, the initial investment could be very high. Even a small-scale business would cost around 25 Lakh Rupees.

5. Waste Management

The next opportunity for women is in the waste management sector. According to statistical data collection reports, Madhya Pradesh generates about 8000 tonnes of electronic waste. The waste is sent to other states for recycling, as there is a lack of e-waste management units in Madhya Pradesh.

So, women can set up a base to recycle this waste. Apart from e-waste management, women can also start businesses related to generic waste management. Indore and Bhopal are two of India's cleanest cities, and Madhya Pradesh citizens, especially Indoris, take a lot of pride in them.

At this time, the government and investors are also looking for ideas for effective waste management and would be ready to invest big in the same. There is no better time than now to start a waste management company, and with high investments, this could be the best business idea for women in Madhya Pradesh.

6. Tutor

One of the best business ideas for women could be tutoring. Urban cities in Madhya Pradesh like Indore, Bhopal, and Jabalpur have high student populations, and hence educated women can make the best use of this opportunity. Tutoring requires zero investment.

Women can use a part of their house space to conduct tuitions. Women can also take home tuition for children and can earn higher revenue. Hence, the tutoring business could be one of the best small-scale businesses for ladies sitting at home.

7. Medicinal Herbs

Another industry, which is a good prospect for agriculture-cum-medicine sector, is medicinal herbs. This can help provide raw materials to the facial and cosmetics industry. They are selling medicinal values, such as soaps, facial creams, and other facial accessories. Women can also take up Cotton Ginning and Pressing, which doesn't need many skills.

The state has a low women's literacy rate; hence, this industry could be the game-changer for women's entrepreneurship and employment. However, managing the firm would need some training and skills. This business idea is one of the best small business ideas for women with a low initial investment.

8. Agarbatti Business

Another small-scale business that could be highly profitable is agarbatti manufacturing. Madhya Pradesh has many temples, and daily pooja is a common ritual in all of them. Apart from the generic method of producing agarbattis, new ways such as producing agarbattis from the flower waste could be explored. The initial requirement would be around 2 to 3 lakhs, and this could also be a great side business idea for ladies in Madhya Pradesh.

9. Namkeen Business

Madhya Pradesh is a state of foodies; snacks like papad and sev are the most common ones consumed all over the state. The best advantage of this business is the making of sev and papad business is that this is a home business for ladies, so homemakers and mothers could benefit a lot from this.

Madhya Pradesh is an agricultural state; procurement of raw materials will not cost much. Women can start a small-scale business by organising and marketing their snacks well across the state. Negotiation, communication, and marketing skills are essential for starting this business; otherwise, it will be challenging to stand out in the competition.

Conclusion

These are some of the start-up ideas and best side business ideas for women in Madhya Pradesh that they could develop to have a successful start and extraordinary level of operations with excellent feedback.

We, at OkCredit, are here to help aspiring businesswomen and entrepreneurs with ideas for the best business in Madhya Pradesh, advice, and financial assistance. We also offer microloans and small business loans for aspiring women entrepreneurs to fulfil their dream of starting a new business.

Also read:

1) Best Small Business Ideas For Women
2) What are Some Beneficial Government Policies for Small Home-Based Businesses in India?
3) Top 10 Businesswomen in the Industry & What You Can Learn From Them
4) How to Start a Flower Shop Business in India?
5) OkCredit: Simple, Paperless & Secure solution for businesses

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FAQs

Q. Which is the best low investment business to start in Madhya Pradesh?

Ans.  Travel and tourism business could be started with very minimal investment—and investment of even Rs. 10,000 would suffice and would give immediate returns. Namkeen business and Agarbatti business too require a minimal investment.

Q. Which is the best business idea for a housewife in Madhya Pradesh?

Ans. Homemakers generally have less time to focus on business due to their household work. Hence, they can focus on part-time business ideas like the medicinal herb business. They can also take up the role of an itinerary planner or travel agent.

Q. What are the skills required for starting these businesses?

Ans. As stated in the article, different businesses require specific skill sets, which could be easily learned. However, some of the common skill sets required for these businesses are communication, negotiation, marketing, and finance.